Several trans women in India make their living by begging at busy roads and performing on social occasions. But, this 35-year-old chose to be her own master.
Breaking the stereotype, M Taslima Nasreen took her leap of faith into entrepreneurship. This Coimbatore-based entrepreneur owns Priyam, a firm that manufactures and distributes cleaning products at a low cost, varying from toilet, floor, and glass cleansers to mixed phenyl, liquid detergents, and dish cleaners.
Taslima, a native of Tiruppur, moved to Coimbatore about a decade ago and struggled to make ends meet on the streets. Her situation changed after an NGO hired her to care for needy patients at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital in 2010.
Later, Taslima went on to form an NGO, Change Trust, in November 2013 that focused on social services, including transgender skill training.
Also, read: The Inspiring Story Of Karnataka’s First Trans-Woman Doctor: Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju
She is also the first trans person to be chosen by the Coimbatore Corporation as a Swachh Bharat Ambassador in 2018.
Taslima’s life was perfect till the pandemic hit. The Covid-induced lockdown crippled her newly-found firm in 2020. Due to the significant loss she suffered, she lost hope in it. She had invested roughly Rs. 2 lakh in the firm, which was a substantial investment that depleted all of her money.
It’s as if Taslima was destined to overcome obstacles. Her employer had previously turned her down because she was a trans person while working as a cook during her early days in the city.
Despite this, she managed to make a life. Perhaps it was her zeal that helped her get through these difficult times. Considering the absence of profit, Taslima continued her business and attempted to sell her wares door-to-door.
Superintendent of Police S Selvanagarathinam told TNIE that the department allots an allowance to each station to purchase cleaning goods. Each heavy station receives Rs. 7,000, medium stations receive Rs. 5,000, and light category stations receive Rs. 3,000. When they learned about Taslima and her business, they decided to place an order after double-checking the quality and price.
“Despite the loss, I was adamant about not leaving the company since I didn’t want to work for anyone,” says Taslima.
Taslima got a bulk order of cleaning goods to be supplied to all police stations within the Coimbatore district limits. In the district, there are around 42 police stations, including special units, and eight DSP offices, as well as quarters and the district head office.
Taslima, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration, is already ecstatic.
“I am pleased that I was able to provide employment prospects to at least ten families,” she said, adding that she hoped her small business would expand soon.
Taslima has overcome all the obstacles to live a dignified and independent life. As a society, it is high time we give everyone an equal opportunity to lead a life with pride and dignity.