Breaking the vicious trap of poverty and building a thriving business without any resources is one of the hardest things to do especially in a country like ours. However there a some enterprising individuals who manage to claw their way to the top with the power of sheer will perseverance and hard work. One such inspirational journey is that of Sharifa Kalathingal a woman from Malappuram Kerala who fought her way out of crushing poverty and built a successful business with a meagre sum of Rs 100 and now owns a restaurant business worth crores of rupees. Who is Sharifa Kalathingal? Born in a poverty-ridden family in Malappuram Kerala Sharifa Kalathingal began selling homemade Unniyappam (a sort of traditional rice flour cake) at local shops after borrowing Rs 100 from a neighbour. In the late 2000s Sharifa walked four kilometers with her one-year-old daughter in her lap as she sold Unniyappam to earn a living while her husband Sakkeer a painter by profession struggled to find work. The family often faced starvation during monsoon months and couldnt even afford rice porridge but Sharifa battled these insurmountable odds and started making Unniyappam (a local Kerala sweet) from rice flour and jaggery after borrowing Rs 100 from a neighbour to purchase the ingredients. How Sharifa built a successful business from nothing? Sharifa Kalathingal began selling the homemade delicacy to local shops in Malappurams Hajiyarpalli locality walking four kilometres from her home with her toddler daughter in her lap. Soon as sales grew so did Sharifas confidence and she started selling other homemade eatables like Pathiri and Chapati even as she faced sneers from people. Following a series of small successes Sharifa tried procuring a loan from local banks to start a small catering business but couldnt get one as banks demanded collateral which she lacked. However the brave woman remained unfazed and determined and ultimately Kerala governments womens empowerment program Kudumbashree came as divine boon for her under which she procured a Rs 2 lakh loan in 2018 and started her catering business Muthu Catering named after her son. Sharifas hard work and dedication helped her business grow at a rapid pace enabling her to launch a dabbawala service delivering meals to over 50 government employees in nearby offices. Why Covid-19 was a blessing for Sharifa? However just when her business was booming Covid-19 pandemic struck and orders stopped severely affecting her income. But once again the Kudumbashree scheme came to her aid as Sharifa procured the contract to supply food to covid-19 patients at the Manjeri Medical College. In a way the pandemic was a blessing in disguise for Sharifa as she delivered food to over 2000 patients and employed over a dozen women. After the pandemic Sharifa Kalathingal operated the canteen at the Kottakkal Ayurveda College and saved enough money to buy her first restaurant in Kottakkal. Later with support from Kudumbashree Sharifa Kalathingal opened a multi-cuisine restaurant called Cafe Kudumbashree. What is Sharifa Kalathingals net worth? Once faced with starvation Sharifa Kalathingal is today the proud owner of three restaurants owns three luxury cars and lives in a mansion home worth Rs 1 crore. In 2024 Sharifas restaurants generated an annual revenue of Rs 50 lakh allowing her to employ over 40 women. Sharifas husband Sakkeer now manages one of her restaurants and she reinvests most of her profits back into her business to make it bigger and more profitable. The story of Sharifa Kalathingal is an inspiration for millions of underprivileged women who wish to break the shackles of poverty and build a better life for them and their families.