Kits distributed in tribal districts to promote small businesses

MIRANSHAH: Up to 1,400 persons were provided “in-kind support kits” to establish own setup in North Waziristan on Tuesday as efforts are being made to promote small businesses as part of government’s strategy to revive livelihoods in the tribal regions.

The Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) in this connection, organized a certificate distribution ceremony of “in-kind support kits” at the Younas Khan Cricket Stadium in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). All those receiving kits had been given training by the SRSP in various trades.

The event was conducted under the auspices of the UNDP/UK-AID-funded “Community Resilience and Recovery Support to Fata Returnee Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs)” project.

The project is being implemented at a cost of Rs103 million by the SRSP, which provided 1,400 beneficiaries with “in-kind support kits” for setting up their own businesses.

Under the project, 50 community-based organisations would be formed through which 48 small community infrastructure schemes would be executed to benefit over 20,000 individuals.

Commandant-7 Division Brigadier Yahya, North Waziristan Additional Commissioner Manzoor Afridi, SRSP Chief Executive Officer Masoodul Mulk, UNDP Programme Officer Muhammad Mustafa, officials of the district administration, local elders and scores of community members attended the ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, the SRSP CEO pointed out that the SRSP has been working at the grassroots level in the region since 2007.

The SRSP had also played an important role in the return process helping the population settle back in native areas. He appreciated the role of the government, Pakistan Army and the donors for creating conditions in which the development process could be undertaken in the region smoothly.

North Waziristan Additional Commissioner Manzoor Khan Afridi in his speech hailed the efforts of SRSP and the generous funding of the donors. “The future is bright for the people of North Waziristan with the presence of organisations like SRSP. I hope these communities will make the most out of these opportunities,” he added

The SRSP has formed over 500 community-based organisations, trained over 700 individuals in various vocational skills, constructed 84 clean drinking water supply schemes, rehabilitated 164 schools, installed 23 tented and prefabricated school structures, installed 900 latrines, and registered/de-registered 103,000 families in the return process of the TDP’s thus far.