| Abstract [eng] |
This teaching case presents the entrepreneurial journey of Ms Shumaila Arif, a Pakistani mother of three, human resource management professional, and migrant student entrepreneur, who relocated to Lithuania in 2023 to pursue a Master’s degree at Vilnius University. While studying and living in Vilnius, Arif identified an unmet need in the local food ecosystem: the absence of an authentic halal dining space that could serve as both a culinary experience and a bridge among diverse communities, including locals, international students, and migrants. Motivated by this gap, she founded Dhaba & Delights in 2024, a business enterprise that rapidly transformed from a small restaurant into a space for inclusion, dialogue, and social impact. The case illustrates how food has become a symbolic and practical tool for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), demonstrating how migrant entrepreneurship can foster belonging and cultural understanding in increasingly multicultural European societies. Unfortunately, this journey was marked by significant adversity. Financial instability, the dissolution of a business partnership during a harsh winter, and personal challenges, such as her child’s injury, created emotional and economic strain. Instead of halting her progress, these challenges became catalysts for resilience, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership. The case invites students to analyse inclusive entrepreneurship within an SME context, with a focus on migrant identity, gender, and inclusive leadership. It demonstrates how food-based businesses can foster social integration and how resilience becomes part of an entrepreneur's strategic practice. The case also links migrant women’s entrepreneurship to broader DEI objectives and to the Sustainable Development Goals, which promote reduced inequalities and inclusive economic growth. |
