Samreen Junaid, Managing Director of SJ Foods, is an inspiring, energetic educationist and cooking expert, who has changed many lives through her professional training.
She is an educationist, facilitator, teacher, and youth trainer, cooking food stylist, nutritionist, and social activist. Through her setup, many women are empowered every year. At the moment around 3000 female workers are earning employed through her platform.
MM News: Can you tell us about yourself?
Samreen Junaid: Before forming the SJ foods, I had been teaching for 20 years. I turned my passion into my profession and bid farewell to teaching and finally working for what I loved.
MM: Is it necessary to have a degree in Food and Nutrition before joining any job related to food?
Samreen Junaid: There is one thing everyone should note that if you earned a degree in something you are doing, it’s a bonus to your profession.
Any profession without having a degree is the same as a difference between a doctor and a compounder. If a compounder works for even twenty years, he cannot become a doctor even if he has the same experience Only a professional doctor can only diagnose the disease.
MM: What motivated you to start SJ Foods?
Samreen Junaid: As I mentioned, my passion was cooking but due to some reasons, I could not turn my passion into a profession earlier. However, when I did, the first thing that started through my firm was to help the women who went through the same difficulties I went through.
MM) What kind of unprivileged women do you help?
Samreen Junaid: Any woman can join SJ foods. Any woman who wants to cook, and are needy, passionate, and those who are physically disabled and are unable to work outside are welcomed to the food venture and earn.
MM) Why do you think women face difficulties in choosing their passion?
Samreen Junaid: Not every woman but they are a few who face difficulties. Some are underconfident about their abilities and some are not permitted to leave home.
MM) How do you feed street children?
Samreen Junaid: I recently launched a pizza service. We sell pizza at a very low price with the same quality and quantity. The leftover pizzas are then distributed among the needy children and 20 percent of our earning are also distributed among the children.
MM) How do you identify the needy women?
Samreen Junaid: I personally look into each and every profile. The women who contact us share their personal information which I look into. My team also goes for a surprise visit to their home to monitor hygiene standards and verify their claims.
MM) Besides SJ food, how do you help the needy people ?
Samreen Junaid: I collect food, clothes, other household items, and anything which can be useful for the needy from privileged people and then distribute among the people. I do not donate among domestic workers, maids, or drivers as they are earning, less but they for sure are earning.
