Sujawal, Sindh

National Rural Support Program (NRSP) is implementing the micro-grants project in Sujawal district, under which the micro-grants would be awarded to individual entrepreneurs as well as lawfully registered business corporations/partnerships of firms for both new business ideas as well as to expand or innovate the running businesses.

The micro-grant amount for each innovative business applicant is up to Euro 10,000 (approximately PKR 3 million), NRSP said in a press release.

NRSP said that the target beneficiaries would include direct grant recipients, employees on the SMEs through job creation, family members of all direct beneficiaries, and general community on the whole benefitting from SMEs produce locally as well as in other cities/ regions where these products may be exported out of project district.

The NRSP regional office Hyderabad and district Sujawal team organized an orientation session on October 16, 2024 regarding ongoing Call for Applications for micro-grants under the ‘Poverty Alleviation and Inclusive Development Across Rural Sindh (PAIDAR)’ project at village Umaid Ali Mallah in union council (UC) Chuhar Jamali and village Mohammad Ali Charo in UC ladiyoon at taluka Chuhar Jamali, district Sujawal. PAIDAR is an EU-funded program which is being implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with NRSP.

The PAIDAR orientation sessions unfolded the procedure for obtaining micro-grants, the requirements, and DOs and DON’Ts which were necessary to help comprehend before submission of the applications by the prospect grantees. Different questions were asked by participants and answers were given with local examples and context during the sessions.

The moderators spelled out an indicative list of potential business trades just to give an idea. However, this is not a binding and any new and innovative business idea would be welcomed based on its feasibility. The potential trades for which grants can be obtained are flour mills/Aata Chaki, tailoring, sewing, & stitching on commercial scale, timber business (legally operated), raw material for garments, charcoal business, motorbike spare parts, construction material, fully equipped tyre puncture shops, handicrafts, bicycle stores, vegetable & fruit stores, motorbike showrooms, junk & trash outlets (Kabaar Khana), IT related businesses (must possess relevant education & experience), value chain industry like tomato ketchup, chili sauce etc., mobile shops with mobile repairing facility, medical stores (valid license & relevant education), easy paisa, Jazz Cash etc. facility with valid license, stationary stores, photocopying etc., meat shop, artificial jewelry, local level transport (Qing Chi rickshaw etc.) – possess valid driving license, garments manufacturing, food business – grocery stores, hotel, burger shops, fast-food etc.

Read: Around 40% Population of Sindh Live Below Poverty Line

It was also emphasized during the sessions that the grants would not be awarded in the four negative list areas: a) infrastructure/ construction, b) subsistence grants, c) grants for non-productive purposes such as purchase of appliances etc., and d) production of agriculture & livestock. The participants were made aware of the application obtaining and submission process. Applications could be obtained by visiting NRSP’s website and it can also obtained and submitted with sealed envelope to NRSP’s district Sujawal office or NRSP RO Hyderabad. The last date for application submission is November 6, 2024.

The sessions were moderated by Ms. Sobia Arain and Mr. Pasha Junaid (Grant Officers, PAIDAR-NRSP Sujawal), and Mr. Furqan Hyder Shaikh (Communication Officer/Coordinator, PAIDAR-NRSP RO Hyderabad). (PR)

Read: Save the Children of Sindh from Stunting

_______________

The post Micro-Grants Orientation Sessions Held IN Sujawal District first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Mian Aamir

Slouching against a neatly painted wall in a carpeted room, Mohammad Younas narrated his struggle to become an entrepreneur from a mere jobless person like many others in this remote village of Balochistan’s Pishin district.

His story is one of good things happening in otherwise violence and poverty-stricken mineral-rich province.

Younas, in his late 20s, is one of the thousands of beneficiaries of a flagship poverty alleviation project by Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP), targeting 10 districts across the province.

Launched in 2017, the Rs.5 billion Balochistan Rural Development and Community Empowerment Program (BRACE), concluded in June 2023, benefitting – directly and indirectly – 1.9 million population in Zhob, Loralai, Duki, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Washuk, Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi and Kech/Turbat over the past six years.

A muddling two-hour journey, mainly on a battered stony road ended at Malakan village encircled by straggling apple and grapes orchards.

Inside a large compound located at the end of a dust-bowed street, a group of children were playing on a tuft of neatly-trimmed grass. Whereas, members of the local village committee were engaged in a weekly meeting, enjoying qehwa.

“Until two years ago, I was a mere jobless person but now I own a shop, and make a good living,” Younas, who received a Rs.50000 grant under BRSP’s Income Generating Grant (IGG) program in 2021.

He began with a small makeshift system using a few tables in an outer room of his house, and gradually upgraded that into a proper shop to sell all kinds of essential stuff.

The IGG has created opportunities in 17 trades, particularly in the livestock sector, the key source of village economy.

Younas says he monthly earns between Rs.20000 and Rs.25000 per month.

The amount for a resident of Karachi, Lahore or even Quetta may sound small, but for a dweller of this far-flung and impoverished village, it is indeed an achievement.

Sajida Tareen had another success story to share. Of course with a female member of our group because of the local culture.

Hailing from adjoining Tora Shah Village and married at the age of 18, Sajida faced the daunting challenge of making ends meet while her husband struggled to provide on meager daily wages. However, even in the face of adversity, she, a mother of eight children, clung to hope, believing in the promise of a better tomorrow.

In 2020, with a grant amounting to Rs.48000, Sajida started a small grocery business in her house, laying the foundation for her enterprise.

Within three years, she expanded her business, now valued at nearly Rs.140000, earning a monthly income ranging from Rs.10000 to Rs.12000.

– Targeted intervention

According to Tahir Rasheed, the head of BRSP, the BRACE project is one of the “targeted interventions” launched by his organization with the help of the European Union to assist the Balochistan government to reduce the grinding impacts of poverty across the province.

This initiative has been designed to establish conducive policy environment for, and set requisite preconditions for sector-wide approach towards community-led development. It aims to provide a platform to the provincial government and its development partners for evolving a  consensual  contextualize  and  harmonized  approach  to  community-led  development  and  local governance.

The six-year program of is expected to benefit 1.9 million citizens (300,000 households) in 249 Union Councils of 10 target districts.

Aside from income generating grant and vocational training programs, BRACE also includes a Community Investment Fund (CIF) that amounts to Rs.2 million solely handled by the local community. Under this revolving fund, the concerned village organization or local support organization provide soft loans to the villagers to buy live stock or start small businesses to make a living.

Abdul Hayee, a beneficiary of this program, had bought two goats in 2019, and gradually not only managed to buy a cow but also set up a milk-selling point at his home.

Another components of BRACE include, Community Physical Infrastructure (CPI) -under which pavement of streets, water supply and agriculture related assistance is provided-, Community Mobilization, and Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills, which is solely for women.

Under the community mobilization program, Rasheed said, the BRSP has established an inclusive, and representative system of community mobilization through formation of 29,248 community institutions, including community organizations, village organizations, village and local support organizations to engage with local communities, and authorities.

The organization has rehabilitated,  expanded and maintained  204  climate-resilient  community  physical infrastructure  schemes  mainly  drinking  water  supply  schemes,  which are prioritized  and  managed  by community institutions themselves.

To enhance the mobility of 4,943 persons with disabilities, BRACE enabled them to play a more active and productive role in society through provision of 5,697 assistive devices were distributed.

The recipients of its technical education and vocational training component have showed promising results, with over 70% employed or self-employed, earning between Rs.6000 and Rs.15000 monthly.

The BRSP’s poverty graduation survey indicated a 20% average income rise, transitioning 48% of poor households to a higher poverty band within the community investment fund component. In the IGG segment, 30% of poor households progressed out of poverty, achieving higher scores and a 17% income growth.

______________

The post Alleviating Poverty through Targeted Interventions first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Dushanbe

The poverty rate has decreased from 83% to 22.5% in Tajikistan, during the years of independence, stated Zavkizoda Zavki Amin, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, at a solemn gathering of the ministry’s team in honor of the 32nd anniversary of the Republic’s State Independence, Avesta reports.

Regardless of external factors, thanks to the successful implementation of state strategies and programs, in just 22 years of state independence, the gross domestic product has increased 64 times, GDP per capita has grown 32 times, and the population’s monetary income has risen 101 times. During this period of independence, the poverty rate has decreased from 83% to 22.5%. Additionally, 3430 new educational institutions, 2827 new medical facilities, over 2400 kilometers of roads, and more than 2000 megawatts of new energy capacity have been built, emphasized Zavkizoda.

The ministry’s employees were tasked with continuously striving to protect and strengthen the achievements of State Independence in their professional and personal activities.

__________________

Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on September 7, 2023)  

The post Poverty level in Tajikistan declines first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Tando Jam

Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam organized 3-day training workshop on the development of dairy, milk, meat and farming of small animals in collaboration with the University Of Veterinary Sciences (UOVS) and the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) of University of Melbourne Australia.

Directors, Deputy Directors and Senior Veterinary Officers were imparted training at the workshop under the “Dairy Beef Project” aimed to improve the economic condition of low-income families and small animal farmers.

Speaking at the certificate distribution ceremony on Saturday, the veterinary experts described the dairy and livestock industry as one of the fastest growing sectors in terms of poverty alleviation and economic growth.

They suggested that farmers need to be trained to reap the financial benefits from meat, milk and by-products of small and large animal. The government, research institutes and experts were also urged to conduct joint research and awareness campaigns in this regard.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor, Sindh Agriculture University, said that cattle farming could change the economic situation of poor families and their life style.

He said that farmers should be trained in various technologies for production of dairy, beef, goat meat and farming on a regular basis, which would enable them to earn sufficient income, especially keeping in view the needs of domestic and foreign markets. “There is a need for awareness about the indigenous breeding of animals,” he said.

Dr. Marri said that Sindh has better breeds of cattle, which will increase the productivity of dairy and livestock sector and increase the demand for meat, milk, leather and their by-products in the halal market of the world.

Dr. Hassan Mehmood Warraich, Project team Leader, said that the main objective of this workshop was to help small farmers with the beneficial results of dairy technology and meat through trained experts and create the best resources and personal business opportunities for their economic life.

Ms. Humaira Iqbal, Project Manager, said that during training workshop government experts and participants were briefed about various modules related to dairy technology, beef value chain and applied research in Pakistan and draws attention to small production systems.

Abdul Aziz Training Manager and Aijaz Kumbhar Provincial Coordinator, Dairy Beef Project said that the livestock department of Sindh Government has also been included in the program so that they can transfer this technology to small farmers and domestic animal growing families so that they can benefit as much as possible.

The speakers also highlighted the need for research support for the improvement and development of livestock and small animals between ACIAR’s Dairy Beef and Small Romance Project and Sindh Agricultural University. (PR)

______________________

The post Cattle Farming Can Alleviate Poverty first appeared on Sindh Courier.