Fatema Barodawala was four months pregnant when the COVID-19 lockdown was announced. While it affected everyone, it put the baker in a very tough spot. Her husband became increasingly abusive, and tried to cut her communication with everyone.
Adding to an already difficult situation was the fact that she was staying in a red zone, where movement was restricted.
“The whole world was locking themselves indoors, and I wanted to break free. The man inside the house had proved to be more dangerous than a global pandemic outside. The violence had begun threatening the life of my unborn child,” Fatema shared on Instagram.
Displaying tremendous courage and presence of mind, she wrote to the National Commission of Women, asked her doctor for a ‘safe to travel’ letter and applied for a travel pass. She found a driver who was willing to risk his life for her safety.
Through the help of her parents in Kolkata, her gynaecologist and the local administration, she escaped her emotionally and physically abusive marriage and found shelter at her parent’s home.
She found solace in her childhood passion for baking, and decided to turn it into a bakery business called Cakelicious with her mother, Duriya, in Kolkata.
Started as a cloud kitchen serving ‘cakes in tubs’ in 2020 as a new mother, it has grown into a full-fledged bakery and cafe, which earns Rs 10 lakh per month. She even secured a funding of Rs 25 lakh for 20 percent equity on Shark Tank season 2 from Amit Jain.
Her mantra is, “You have the power to rewrite your story, don’t ever give up on yourself.”
Edited by Padmashree Pande.
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