LAHORE: A programme for young women from agriculture-based communities was launched on Friday.
The project,called Kissan Ki Beti, was launched by Punjab Minister for Women Development Ashifa Riaz Fatyana. It has been launched in collaboration with the partners like the Community Development Foundation (CDF), Women Economic Development Initiative Punjab (WEDIP), Women Development Directorate (WDD), Dukhtran-i-Pakistan, Shahid Javed Burki Institute of Public Policy (BIPP), Agri Byt and the Centre for Security and Disaster Management (CSDM).
Speaking on a zoom call, Ms Riaz said the pilot project would be implemented from September to December in three districts of Toba Tek Singh, Sahiwal and Jhang, while the first phase would begin from January 2021 to last till December 2021 in about 20 districts across the province.
“Skills and knowledge are the engines of economic growth and social development of any country,” she said.
“The Kissan Ki Beti programme is a good example of a value-added product to produce the best results in rural areas of Punjab with special focus on those girls whose parents are farmers.”
Ms Riaz added that the project was expected to communicate information about effective business education programmes related to enterprise development and provide the women with aid in setting up businesses.
The minister said the project in 20 districts would target 1,500 families and more than 3,000 young women living in rural areas. She added that the aim of the project was to improve living standards of the rural women, especially through skills training, business competences, entrepreneurship, education, and support in protecting their rights.
The programme would set up a platform for the rural women to earn in four ways, earning through certified vocational courses, selling their own local brands as entrepreneurs, linking them with local markets, and in providing access to online selling, especially agri-based items.
Secretary for Women Development Department Punjab Ambreen Raza gave a briefing on the programme.
Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2020
