Project to cover 50 union councils in south Punjab. PHOTO: FILE
The Canadian International Development Authority (CIDA) has initiated a comprehensive programme for the economic empowerment of rural women in south Punjab in collaboration with the Awaz Foundation Pakistan.
The project is aimed at helping women who are sole earners in their families as well as those who are single (widows, divorcees, separated.)
Awaz Foundation communication officer Danish Batool Zaidi said on Saturday that 60 per cent of Pakistani women were in rural areas. She said these women could play an important role in economic growth, but most of them were living below the poverty line.
She said, under the programme, women in south Punjab were being paid Rs2,250 fortnightly. Besides Rs1,100 per month which is being deposited directly in their savings accounts.
After completion of the two year project cycle of economic empowerment through community infrastructure improvement project, graduates are provided counselling for starting their own businesses.
The project is engaging private sector to facilitate its road maintenance teams for sustainable development and improvement in living standards. The women are provided mobile phones, SIM and health and life insurance.
The programme is currently working in four districts in south Punjab. It is helping in building community infrastructure through maintenance of rural roads.
Road Maintenance Team (RMT) members are trained in basic health and hygiene, gender equity and human rights and business management skills.
Shamim Mai, a road maintenance team member from Shujabad, Multan told The Express Tribune has significantly improved her living standards.
Bahrawan Mai, a beneficiary of the programme residing in Khokhraan union council, said, “All my four children are studying in schools because of this programme as they don’t have to go earning.”
She said the project had diversified women’s income base through micro-enterprise and entrepreneurship development.
Kausar Bibi from Kaaya Pur union council, who now has her own grocery shop, said that the project had helped local government institutions and community based organisations promote women’s empowerment.
Awaz Foundation chief executive Ziaur Rehman said that the government should support such projects. He said, in Bangladesh, such projects were supported by the government for 10 to 20 years.
He said the programme would have been much more effective if the government provided it an enabling umbrella. He praised CIDA for financial support and guidance.
The project will go on for five years. It will cover 50 union councils in south Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2013.
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