Sufficient social capital now exists for ‘Ehsaas’ to take off

Islamabad: In the form of 573,000 community organisations and 9 million households formed by Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) over the past three decades, sufficient social capital now exists for ‘Ehsaas’ and National Poverty Graduation Programme to take off.

The comment made part of a discussion on ‘poverty graduation’ programmes in Pakistan, role of private sector and RSPs in rural enterprise development held at Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) two-day RSPs Annual Strategy Retreat 2019 in Bhurban.

The two-day event was a forum for strategic coordination, experience sharing, networking, and showcasing of new initiatives by Rural Support Programmes (RSPs). This year the discussion focused on ‘poverty graduation’ programmes in Pakistan, role of private sector and RSPs in rural enterprise development to reduce rural poverty, and strengthening legal empowerment for women through community-based paralegals.

The retreat was well-attended by representatives from all four provincial governments and AJK and GB, community representatives, diplomats, donors and development practitioners.

Chairman RSPN Shoaib Sultan Khan emphasized on the outreach RSPs possess in reaching every household in Pakistan for socio-economic empowerment that offers value addition to the government’s national initiative.

The first session revolved around Poverty Graduation where a heavy focus was laid upon the impact of financial interventions such as the Community Investment Fund (CIF) has in helping poorest women earn an income.