Fatema Barodawala was four months pregnant when the COVID-19 lockdown was announced.

This period was a tough one for her as her husband became increasingly abusive and tried to cut off 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 proven to be more dangerous than a global pandemic outside,” she shared on Instagram.

“The violence had begun threatening the life of my unborn child.” 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.

It was here that she got back to her childhood passion of baking.

Soon, the passion translated into a business ‘Cakelicious’ that she started with her mother, Duriya, in Kolkata.

As a new mother, she started it as a cloud kitchen serving ‘cakes in tubs’ in 2020. It grew into a full-fledged bakery and cafe, earning Rs 10 lakh per month.

She even secured funding of Rs 25 lakh for 20 percent equity on Shark Tank season 2. Her mantra is, “You have the power to rewrite your story, don’t ever give up on yourself.”