ISLAMABAD: Weavers and embroiders in rural communities of Punjab and Sindh will get their livelihoods improved as a result of a project just launched by the World Bank in Pakistan.

Titled ‘Developing Artisanal Livelihoods in Rural Pakistan (RANG)’, the project will demonstrate to policy-makers the effectiveness of a crafts-based cluster approach to poverty alleviation and to improve living conditions of the artisanal community.

RANG aims to assist an estimated 2,600 vulnerable artisan families and households, especially targeting women-headed households, at the bottom of the pyramid to help them build their lives, access sustainable livelihoods through establishing their own artisan institutions and consequently achieve a robust economic and social empowerment.

With an average family size of seven individuals in each household in the project areas, the project is expected to benefit an overall population of about 18,200 individuals. Out of the total number of beneficiaries, 70 per cent of the beneficiaries are expected to be women.

The World Bank has signed the grant agreement with the government for the project which is working on a fast track basis and has achieved satisfactory progress.

Detailed plans for commissioning workshops, skill assessment and cluster formation activities in the identified clusters in Bahawalpur and Multan have been developed.

The related activities are expected to start later this month. This is a primary, yet a critical step, in setting the stage for initiating other skill enhancement activities and developing artisan institutions, according to the project report released by the World Bank.

The team is already in the final steps of finalising the terms of reference for the baseline study and it is expected that the agency for conducting the baseline will by hired by the end of December this year.

The project has signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF). The project is working in close coordination with PPAF and is receiving key support from the team.

With support from PPAF, currently a partnership is being developed with the National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) for ground level support in the identified project areas in Punjab.

An agreement with NRSP will soon be finalised. The project team will soon be commencing its design skill assessment and also initiate cluster formation activities in identified areas in Bahawalapur and Multan.

Published in Dawn, November 21th, 2014