“As women, money is something we should talk about,” says Saheeba Zainab Hussain, founder of “Soulunraveled” and an advocate for self-development, mental health, and creating safe spaces for women and girls. Her focus is clear—women need to have conversations about money, and she’s leading that dialogue with her life and work.
Coming from a lineage of strong, financially independent women, Saheeba has always understood the importance of financial self-reliance. Her grandmother, raised 12 children on her own, and her mother, starting from a small room, built a clinic into a successful enterprise. Following their example, Saheeba ventured into various side businesses while studying medicine—selling abayas, jewellery, clothing materials, running a food business, and even offering traditional spa services from home.
For her, these businesses were not just about making ends meet; they were about gaining the financial freedom to live life fully, just like her mother and grandmother. “You have to start from scratch,” Saheeba advises, emphasising the importance of never belittling any hustle, no matter how small. Every step, no matter how modest, brings you closer to achieving the financial independence that allows you to stand on your own two feet.
To Saheeba, #HerMoneyHerPower means freedom, choices, and power. It’s about having the resources to pursue opportunities without limitations. This belief led her to create “Chai Outreach,” a programme that teaches young girls—who would otherwise be married off after secondary school—how to take control of their finances. Through skill acquisition and business training, these girls can start their own ventures and earn own income. Saheeba’s vision is to ensure that marriage is not a decision made out of financial desperation or vulnerability, but one made from a place of strength, where they have their own resources to bring into the relationship.
Watch Saheeba talk more about women’s economic power
