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‘Women can do’ project ends with high hope

ISLAMABAD: Many women across Pakistan want to establish their own businesses, but don’t know where to start, said Durreshawar Mahmood, project manager at ‘Women can do’, during the final conference of the one-year initiative.

Through this project, funded by the US Embassy and carried out by the Shaoor Foundation, over 3,000 women have received entrepreneurship training at public universities and Madrassas across Pakistan.

Shaoor Foundation staff has also coordinated a series of policy discussions with government officials, educators, business representatives, and others to identify and address the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan.

“While training and inspiring women in universities and madrassas to pursue their goals, we have also worked with officials and others to ensure future generations of Pakistani women have more resources and fewer challenges when seeking to start their own businesses,” said Mahmood.

Supporting women entrepreneurs in Pakistan has a ripple effect on families, villages, and cities across Pakistan, stated Mahmood. “Successful entrepreneurs create jobs for other women and men. They offer innovative solutions to problems. They deliver essential services and support their families.”

American Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was also present on the occasion. He encouraged public and private sector representatives to continue their efforts to support women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan for promoting economic activities.

The project is one of many entrepreneurship-related initiatives supported by the American Embassy. It sends Pakistani entrepreneurs to the United States on exchange programmes, has supported the establishment of the WECREATE Center for women’s entrepreneurship in Islamabad, and sponsored the travel of Pakistani delegates to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in June.

The Express Tribune