Book details success stories of BISP beneficiaries

Women narrate tales of coming out of abject poverty with the help of social security net

ISLAMABAD: Ignore all sorts of reservations, concerns and hesitation and march ahead for achieving your individual goals and for the country’s progress and prosperity, President Mamnoon Hussain said on Thursday.

Speaking at the launch of The Stories of BISP Beneficiaries, a book compiled by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the president said women constitute around half of Pakistan’s population.

He said all segments of society should play their role in accordance with their priorities, interests and skills for fast and balanced progress to avoid wastage of human and material resources of the country.



The book contains stories of 146 women from across the country who shared how their painful lives were transformed after they registered with the BISP as beneficiaries.

The real-life narratives have been written in 18 regional languages as well as Urdu and English for local and global readers. An e-version of the book had also been published online.

BISP head Marvi Memon, State Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnaat, parliamentarians, BISP secretary and development partners and representatives of civil society attended the ceremony.

The success stories of six women including Akbar Bibi from Haveli, AJK, Bano Bibi from Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan, Shirimati Nandni from Jacobabad, Sindh, Jan Bibi from Kohlu, Balochistan, Sumaira Bibi from Rawalpindi, Punjab and Maghfira Khatoon from Nowshera, K-P were also presented at the launching ceremony.

The women shared with the audience how their lives had been changed by BISP support, enabling them to become financially independent.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2017.