“One man’s nightmare is another man’s dream” — Rupert Hine

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the government to announce a lockdown on an economy expanding and growing to become self-reliant. Overnight, people learned the “new normal”—the three-ply masks, the sanitizer with more than 80% alcohol content, the 20-second rule of washing hands and most importantly, physical distance. Our mobile caller tunes now kept on reminding the necessity of do gaj doori or the need to maintain a physical distance of six feet from others. While most of us counted days, battling thoughts of a bleak future, from the comfort of our homes with a cushion of financial security, to many even meeting the basic financial needs seemed like a luxury.

Nasima Bibi had just returned from her niece’s wedding when the first phase of the lockdown was announced. As a mother of three, she realized that her family and everyone in her village needed to comply with the COVID-19 precautions.

At the village of Panikal, ten years ago, Nasima had started her business of readymade clothes. Her journey with VFS started two years ago when she realized her potential to grow and expand her manufacturing unit. Her backyard had transformed into a small hub of readymade clothes, with a couple of local tailors.

From Panikal, her clothes travelled beyond district and state borders for sale. Nasima looked forward to the wedding and festive seasons when the demand would go high, and her employees worked day and night to meet them. It was a blissful moment for both Nasima and her tailors.

By February, Nasima’s favourite niece was ready to get married. Her entire family had come down to their maternal home for the celebrations. Nasima and her niece beamed with joy over the handmade saree the aunt had made for the wedding. No one in the wedding party in the remote village of Bengal’s Hooghly district had anticipated the unprecedented lockdown. For most of them, the term ‘coronavirus’ was alien, so was the reality.

Nasima was unpacking her luggage when the radio from the neighbour’s window blared the lockdown news.

Over the next few days, health officers visited their village with the awareness campaign. Isolation wards were prepared in the local hospital. Nasima asked her employees to maintain all protocol and not come for their work until the lockdown was lifted.

Those months were the hardest for Nasima and her family. She worried that her kids would suffer from the gap in their education. She could not predict the financial losses facing her business, adding to the tension.

It was hard for her to see her manufacturing hub silent. But she had to put aside her worries and keep her hopes alive. There was no option.

When the government announced Unlock 1, her backyard came back to life. Work gained momentum, and sales picked up ahead of the Durga Puja festival, although they were nowhere near the 2019 numbers. VFS’s executives reached her village branch. Nasima learned to tide over the setback with the awareness training they gave and move into the New Year with new ambition.

Communication has been the key to success in these trying times.

Since the unlock, VFS executives have been making phone calls to stay in touch with our customers. On all fronts, VFS has been making constant efforts to establish an effective chain of communication with our customers while prioritizing their health and their family’s wellbeing.

Last week, when VFS called Nasima, she was discussing the production model with her tailors for the Bengali New Year and Ramadan. When she was asked about her current situation, Nasima replied, “Much better”. We could almost see her smile over the phone.

Nasima’s story is a story of hope—keeping the faith alive even when the lights are out. Her confidence in herself and her faith in the Almighty kept her spirit going. Her story questions our perspective on setbacks and the way we treat them.

Whether we make it a dream or a nightmare—it’s up to us.