Programme for Poverty Reduction (PPR) under the umbrella of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) fully supports women empowerment and pays salute to two women working in their communities to bring positive change through education, healthcare and other services.
The contributions of these women were highlighted and appreciated at a seminar organized by the PPAF and attended mostly by employees and partners here on Thursday.
During the seminar, many researches and studies confirm that empowered women can become a force for positive change not only for their families but also for their communities. The stories of two exceptional women from Balochistan, Asyah Nasir and Saleha Bibi, is a powerful exemplification of this assertion.
Aysah Nasir (22) and Saleha Bibi (54) are supported by PPAF under their Program for Poverty Reduction and are working at the grassroots level in their communities to bring about positive change through empowerment, education, healthcare provision among other services. Their contributions were highlighted and appreciated at a seminar recently organized by the PPAF attended mostly by employees and partners.
Asyah, originally from Turbat migrated to UC Surbandar, village Mundi in Gwader. Trained as a Female Medical Technician, Asyah has previously worked at PNS Shifa Karachi, but wanted to do something for her people. She moved back to her village and became part of community organization (CO) at Reksar Mundi, which was recognized by the PPR project in 2015. Aysah's dedication helped her and she quickly progressed to become a manager of a village organization.
Under PPR project, Aysah received training on health and nutrition after which she provides services at the PPR supported Basic Health Unit at Gatti Dore and conducts community sessions to help inculcate awareness on basic health and hygiene among the women of her area. She also teaches at a social enterprise school at Mundi, which started with 20 students and now accommodates 115 students. She says, "I want to continue making efforts for my area and through linkages I want to solve more problems in the area like electricity and employment. If you are committed, then what can't be achieved?"
Saleha Bibi, resident of Goth Usman Khashkheli of district Lasbela in Balochistan, was brought up in a traditionally strong patriarchal society and never received a formal education. A mother of five children, Saleha became an unlikely activist and a role model within her village when she started assisting her community people avail opportunities in livelihood, education, health and hygiene and improving their situation. She received relevant trainings under social mobilization component of PPR, after which she started raising awareness among members of village organizations and gradually reached out to women and girls of her village convincing them to play an active role to change themselves and their surroundings.