Zubeida Jamal

Pakistani entrepreneur who revolutionized women's vocational training in South Asia

Zubeida Jamal (1912-1974) was a pioneering businesswoman from Lahore whose vocational training initiatives empowered thousands of women across Pakistan and India. Born into a family of textile merchants, she witnessed the exclusion of women from formal education during British colonial rule. In 1940, she founded the Jamal Vocational Institute, offering training in tailoring, bookkeeping, and midwifery - skills she identified through her textile business experience. The institute's unique apprenticeship model placed graduates in local businesses, creating sustainable employment networks.

Post-partition, Jamal expanded her work to refugee camps during the 1947 India-Pakistan migration crisis, training displaced women in marketable skills. Her 1953 book Women and Work in India challenged cultural norms by advocating for women's economic independence. Jamal's network of training centers grew to 27 locations by 1965, with alumni forming cooperatives that still operate today. Her legacy is honored through the Zubeida Jamal Trust, which continues her mission in rural areas. Modern economists cite her as a precursor to microfinance movements, though her work remained underappreciated during her lifetime due to gender and regional biases.