Meet Guwahati-based Aparna Deka, Amazon’s first female ‘I Have Space’ partner in the North-East region delivering smiles to customers
When life throws multiple curveballs, it is up to one to turn adversity into an opportunity. Time and again, many women have shown how they can conquer these hurdles with their relentless pursuit of growth and undeterred ambition. One such example is Aparna Deka, a resident of Guwahati, Assam who stands tall to support her family while fulfilling her ambition of building her own business as Amazon’s first female ‘I Have Space’ (IHS) partner in the North-East region.
Hailing from a humble background, Aparna’s husband works as a peon in a bank and has been a constant pillar of support to live her entrepreneurial dreams. Before joining the bank, Aparna’s husband ran a small family business called ‘Deka Pan Shop’ which started back in 2008. In 2013, when her husband decided to join the bank as a more stable source of income, Aparna decided to take over the day to day running of the shop instead of shutting it down.
With their family growing, Aparna knew that her husband’s income and her earnings from the shop wouldn’t be enough to support the family’s needs and their daughter’s education. At this juncture, Aparna decided to explore supplemental means of income in addition to supporting her family business. It was then, through a friend, that she first heard of Amazon’s IHS program in 2018. Aparna immediately enrolled herself in the program, and embraced the opportunity with open arms.
“It feels great that I was able to support my family when they needed me the most. Amazon has given me the opportunity to earn supplemental income with this program, and enabled me to support my family’s dreams. I believe this program can be a life-changing opportunity for several women like me, who dream of creating their individuality and desire to stand on their own feet,” says Aparna.
The ‘I Have Space’ program is a last-mile delivery program that Amazon India launched in 2015. The company partners with local stores and business owners like Aparna to deliver products to customers within a 2 to 4 kilometers radius of their store, allowing them to supplement their regular income. The program has more than 28,000 neighborhood and kirana partners in close to 420 towns and cities across its network in India. As Amazon scales and expands its delivery network across the country, including the North-East region, the IHS program will enable individuals to unlock their entrepreneurial potential and create immense opportunities to expand their horizons.
Karuna Shankar Pande, Director – Last Mile Operations, Amazon India says, “Amazon India is committed towards building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) workforce and is empowering individuals from various walks of life. Aparna, who is the first IHS Partner for Amazon in the North-East region, is a great example and a role model for other women in the region. As Amazon India expands its reach and the IHS program in the North-East region, Aparna will serve as an inspiration to many women.
Amazon’s IHS program has transformed Aparna’s life in many ways. The additional income from the program has enabled her to weather her family’s needs, and to live a comfortable life while keeping the business afloat and building on her dream to expand it in the future. During the unprecedented times of the pandemic, footfall in her shop declined drastically. However, this did not let Aparna lose hope. The IHS program provided her with financial stability and gave her a sense of security when she needed it the most.
