From Homemaker to Entrepreneur - An Inspiring Journey of Resilience and Self Discovery

An inspiring story of Kusum Agarwal (Khyaal Community Member)

“My name is Kusum Agarwal and I am 61 years old from Bangalore. I completed M.A. in Political Science from Jaipur University. I got married in 1984. Me, my husband and our two daughters were a close-knit family.

My world came crashing down when my husband passed away suddenly in 1997. My husband was the only earning member of the family. My older daughter was only 10 at the time and my younger daughter was 5. I had been a housewife all my life and had no idea about the outside world. I was devastated. But I had to pull myself together. My girls became my emotional support. We lived in a 1 storey house, so I opened a small boutique of ethnic Indian wear at the top floor. Slowly, it helped me generate some income. Apart from the boutique, I did many part-time jobs to generate extra income. With time, we moved on. By the time I turned 54, my daughters were married. I lived alone in Bangalore in the same building as my younger daughter. In 2019, my health started deteriorating and I was diagnosed with arthritis. I also suffered from Covid. My younger daughter, who was staying in the same building, moved to USA shortly beforehand. During this time, I fell into depression. I was also struggling with financial problems, self-confidence and loneliness.

A few months later, in 2020, Khyaal entered my life and a miracle happened. I sought solace in their daily sessions, particularly on emotional wellbeing conducted by their in-house Counseling Psychologist, which provided great support and helped me heal. I regularly interacted with the Khyaal community team and felt connected. Through Khyaal, I made new friends and became socially active. Gradually, I gathered myself together. My health started improving as well. I began to feel more positive and hopeful. The doctors had told me that it would take at least 8-12 months for my depression symptoms to ease, but within just 2 months of joining Khyaal, I started feeling much better. There were times when I couldn’t even leave my room, but after becoming a part of Khyaal Club, I rediscovered myself. Khyaal also organizes tours for senior citizens and their families, I embarked on my first-ever solo trip to Ooty with them. I had never travelled anywhere without my family before, and this was a very big deal for me. I feel personally connected to all the team members of Khyaal. I went on Khyaal Tours to Thailand and Kashmir as well.

Later on, I sold my house to support myself financially. My son-in-law put forward a business idea of renting designer clothes. We started the business together on 6th March 2020. Just 2 weeks after the launch, the lockdown started. We were distraught. But I did not give up. I decided to wait patiently. I don’t know where I got the courage from, but I kept going. We suffered losses for 8 months, but after the lockdown opened, things slowly started to pick up again. Gradually we started to make profit. I have been running the business for 4.5 years now and there is no turning back. I have learned every facet of the business, be it sourcing suppliers, sourcing materials, marketing etc, all on the go. I have learned how to deal with tricky customers with a smile. I get to meet and interact with different kind of people who visit the store. Every day I learn something new. This business is not only a source of income, but also an opportunity to grow as a person. Once a homemaker, I am a full-fledged entrepreneur today. I have a new identity. I am a better version of myself, confident and optimistic. I am thriving each day. At 61, I have found myself again.

One piece of advice I would like to give to other seniors is that life is a gift. Whatever the situation may be, never give up. Believe in yourself and you will find a way.” - Kusum Agarwal (Khyaal Community Member)