‘Women can do’ project ends with high hope

Over 3,000 females were imparted entrepreneurship training meant to promote economy


Our Correspondent August 31, 2016
The project is one of many entrepreneurship-related initiatives supported by the American Embassy. PHOTO: TWITTER/@sfeapk

ISLAMABAD: Many women across Pakistan want to establish their own businesses, but don’t know where to start, said Durreshawar Mahmood, project manager at ‘Women can do’, during the final conference of the one-year initiative.

Through this project, funded by the US Embassy and carried out by the Shaoor Foundation, over 3,000 women have received entrepreneurship training at public universities and Madrassas across Pakistan.

Shaoor Foundation staff has also coordinated a series of policy discussions with government officials, educators, business representatives, and others to identify and address the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan.

“While training and inspiring women in universities and madrassas to pursue their goals, we have also worked with officials and others to ensure future generations of Pakistani women have more resources and fewer challenges when seeking to start their own businesses,” said Mahmood.



Supporting women entrepreneurs in Pakistan has a ripple effect on families, villages, and cities across Pakistan, stated Mahmood. “Successful entrepreneurs create jobs for other women and men. They offer innovative solutions to problems. They deliver essential services and support their families.”

American Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was also present on the occasion. He encouraged public and private sector representatives to continue their efforts to support women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan for promoting economic activities.

The project is one of many entrepreneurship-related initiatives supported by the American Embassy. It sends Pakistani entrepreneurs to the United States on exchange programmes, has supported the establishment of the WECREATE Center for women’s entrepreneurship in Islamabad, and sponsored the travel of Pakistani delegates to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in June.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2016.

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COMMENTS (2)

Parvez Mahmood | 8 years ago | Reply Every big city of Pakistan should have an office managed by women for for helping women who want to start their own business- it should be a one window operation without much running around by the interested females, hope government in coordination with the provincial governments does something to encourage half of the Pakistans' population to bring them into the business thus creating jobs and prosperity
shepower.pk | 8 years ago | Reply Govt should remove the root cause that create a hurdle for a women to start their own business. Women can do anything they want, as we all of have seen that women proved there self in many fields of like and business as well.
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