US project for female entrepreneurs launched in Lahore

Parwan-e-Nisa aims to empower Pakistani women towards financial independence and sustainability

Parwan-e-Nisa, a grant project funded by the US State Department was launched in Lahore on Wednesday. The launching ceremony was organised at Faletti’s Hotel, drawing a large number of participants from the micro-finance, academia, private and government sectors.

The year-long project has been launched in partnership with TiE Lahore and Sustainable Advisory LLP, and focuses on empowering Pakistani women towards a life of financial independence, sustainability and impact through entrepreneurship.

Under Parwan-e-Nisa, 150 female entrepreneurs out of 1,244 applicants have been selected from across the province to equip them with entrepreneurial prowess through carefully curated training workshops, mentorship and business incubation.

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In the year 2021 alone, Pakistani entrepreneurs raised more than $350 million in investments. The number is startling. However, only 1.1 per cent of this was raised by female ‘founded’ startups while 32.4 per cent was raised by female 'co-founded' startups. This number has to increase and that's what Parwan-e-Nisa is striving to achieve.

US Consul General Lahore William K Makaneole, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Information and Special Initiatives Hasaan Khawar, President TiE Lahore and Director Crescent Group Humayun Mazhar, Founder and Chairman Akhuwat Dr Amjad Saqib, and Program Head Parwan-e-Nisa Syeda Mehak addressed the participants on the occasion.

CEO FINCA Microfinance Bank Jahanzeb Khan, Country Head Sales and Marketing Chughtai Lab Javaria Khan, Vice Chancellor Government College Lahore Dr Asghar Zaidi, Venture Capitalist 47 Ventures Khurram Zafar, LUMS Professor Dr Zartash Uzmi, Director of Labs Mindstorm Studios Yasser Awan, Founder Circle Women Sadaffe Abid, Head of Growth UWorx Group Kaleemullah, Chairperson Al-Bari Welfare Association Sadia Qadir, Executive Director TiE Islamabad Salwa Akhtar, Co-founder Gharpar Shameelah Ismail and CEO Tehmina Durrani Foundation Tosheeba Sarwar also attended the event.