Shaheena Attarwala’s story of struggles and determination proves that where there is a will, there is always a way.
Most of us have had the privilege to grow up in a decent household where we have lived a rather easy-going life. However, this story of a young woman who once lived in Mumbai slums, but went on to become the Product Design Manager at Microsoft, will surely inspire you.
Shaheena Attarwala’s story of struggles and determination truly proves that where there is a will, there is always a way.
In a tweet which has now gone viral on social media, Microsoft employee Shaheena Attarwala recalls a time when she used to live in one of the slums in Bombay. The lady recently tweeted a thread, detailing about how she moved from the underbelly to the city, with the help of sheer grit and hard work.
Attarwala was prompted to write the thread when she saw the Netflix series, “Bad Boy Billionaires – India” in which, a birds-eye view of Bombay slums is captured. The young lady tweeted that the series captures one of the homes in which she used to live before moving out alone in the year 2015. Shaheena Attarwala decided to move out in order to build her own life.
The Microsoft Product Design Manager’s twitter thread further highlighted the severities of living in a slum as it exposed her to harsh conditions, gender biases and even sexual harassment.
However, the lady said that all these societal evils did not deter her curiosity to learn and she was resolute in her decision to design a different life for herself.
In an interview to NDTV, Attarwala recalled how she lived in the Darga Galli slum which was close to the Bandra Railway Station. Born to a father who moved from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai in order to sell essential oils, the young lady became well acquainted with life’s harsh realities at the mere age of 15. She saw that women around her were helpless, dependent and abused. So Attarwala decided to not follow the same fate but carve a free life of her own.
She wanted to attend computer classes but lack of money and poor grades had forced her into doing needlework. However, Attarwala convinced her father to borrow some money through which she could enroll in a local computer class. The Microsoft employee believed that computers were great levelers and could open opportunities for anyone.
Shaheen Attarwala even had to skip her lunch and walk home in order to save money for the computer class. However, once she got a handle on the device, there was no looking back.
The determined woman decided to pursue a career in computer designing and after years of hard work, she finally moved to an apartment in 2021 where she had access to basic amenities such as good sunlight, ventilation and a view of the sky.
Shaheena Attarwala posted a happy picture of herself in side her beautiful apartment and wrote “From my father being a hawker and sleeping on roads to having a life, we could barely dream of. Luck, hard work and picking battles that matter”.
With her undaunted spirit and strong-will, the woman managed to educate herself and open doors of freedom and success in her life. She also told NDTV that young girls in her position should aspire to educate themselves as it is the biggest game-changer in life.
Attarwala’s inspiring thread has gone viral on social media, gaining more than 3,800 likes and 450 retweets.
Twitter users have saluted the lady for her power and determination. One person wrote, “Keep Inspiring Shaheena, education is the only way to elevate yourself out of poverty”, while another commented, “Salute and tipping my hat for tenacity, determination, hard work. Thanks for being exemplary for countless others.”
Most users praised the woman for her progress and also lauded her father’s perseverance and values which he inculcated in his daughter.
What are your thoughts on this lady’s inspiring journey?
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