LARKANA: Sixty women who successfully completed their four-month training in handloom weaving at SZABIST Foundation were awarded certificates along with handlooms and tablet devices loaded with a customised application to help them immediately start their own online businesses.

Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) Foundation chairperson Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari distributed the certificates, handlooms and devices at the graduation ceremony held in Naudero House on Thursday.

Speaking at the programme, Bibi Aseefa said that the foundation was working to fulfil the promise of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

“ZABTech and the SZABIST Foundation look forward to continuing programmes for the betterment of rural women, to empower the youth, particularly women, through technical and vocational training and education. These initiatives are the most reliable interventions to create economic opportunities for the youth, and the long-term socio-economic stability of the country,” she said, and added that the ongoing one was the pilot project while other such projects would be replicated and scaled up by the SZABIST Foundation.

“ZABTech, with the support of the SZABIST Foundation, has transformed the lives of more than 60,000 underprivileged youth of Sindh. Our mission is to ensure that the youth of Pakistan is provided adequate training to fulfil the demand for skilled labour in the job market,” she said.

MPA Faryal Talpur, who also heads PPP’s women wing, lauded efforts being made by SZABIST and ZABTech, and said PPP had always been very conscious and focused on women’s empowerment, be it in terms of economic empowerment, social empowerment or political empowerment. “The youth of Sindh is full of potential and the land of Sindh encompasses many opportunities for them,” she added.

ZABTech director Ms Mahesar said that providing technical and vocational training to the youth was the only way to ensure growth of national economy.

She congratulated the fresh graduates on the successful completion of the training and thanked the SZABIST Foundation for the financial support it extended to the pilot project.

Several PPP lawmakers and leaders attended the ceremony.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2022