Shameelah Ismail is a social entrepreneur, business graduate, home-maker and mother. She is the founder and CEO of GharPar, a social enterprise that supports women who work in the beauty industry in Pakistan.
Ms. Ismail grew up in Lahore, but spent many years living in France as a teenager. During this time she travelled extensively throughout Europe and North America, and was able to build a world view for herself that was inclusive, moderate, creative and above all empowering for all genders and age groups. Ms. Ismail is a firm believer of women empowerment through economic independence, as she herself comes from an affluent and well connected family in Pakistan, and wants to create a world where every women has access to opportunities and privilege just like her own.
Her initiative, GharPar, is an innovative, never-done-before venture that was conceived as a product of this world view, and her compassion for others. Ms. Ismail's educational training in business administration, and her heart felt desire to create a business environment that connected women to the source of their livelihood motivated her to launch GharPar, where beauty services are brought to the client in the comfort of their homes.
The beauty industry in Pakistan is mostly unregulated, but a highly popular field of work for both client and the service provider. Yet, most workers get their training at often sub-standard privately owned salons, and there are no quality checks on training standards. Ms. Ismail recognized the potential in regularizing these services and provided a training and business platform to women beauticians.
And the result of this innovative idea is GharPar, where clients are brought to the beauticians, and beauticians are brought to the client. It’s GharPar, where beauty is done comfortably.