50,000 PPE kits, 40,000 surgical masks given to Sindh govt

Islamabad: The donor-funded TVET Sector Support Programme handed over 50,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and 40,000 surgical masks to the government of Sindh.

The items were produced under a special initiative of the programme to support the Government of Sindh in addressing challenges in the healthcare sector during COVID-19. The ceremony was jointly organised by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) and Charter for Compassion (CfC). The ceremony highlighted support measures carried out by the TVET Sector Support Programme during the pandemic.

The PPE kits and surgical masks were produced by 40 young women and 35 young men who received competency-based training for dress-making under the ‘Humqadam’ project. This special practice-oriented training was introduced to provide semi-skilled labour, affected by the lockdown, a much-needed opportunity to further improve their skills and engage in an income-generating and social support activity.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Adviser to Chief Minister of Sindh on Law, Anti-Corruption Establishment, and Information, Murtaza Wahab said that, “On behalf of government of Sindh, I show my gratitude to European Union, Germany and Norwegian government for their support of 50,000 PPE kits and 40,000 surgical masks for our health-care-professionals. The pandemic is not over yet and the efforts of this Programme by training youth is a vital socio-economic contribution”.

Androulla Kaminara, Ambassador of the European Union to Pakistan, while speaking at the occasion, said, “The EU has made major efforts across its ongoing cooperation portfolio, as well as with additional funds, to support Pakistan and its citizens during this crisis. We are delighted that the TVET Sector Support Programme has been able to redirect some of its work rapidly to provide help through various measures. This has not only been limited to the equipment handed over today, but also includes beds and bed spreads.”

Birgit Kuhlmann, Chargé d’affaires, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi while speaking at the occasion mentioned that 64% of the Pakistan population is under 30. Their contribution in the fight against COVID-19 is instrumental”.

Vigdis Halvorsen, First Secretary Development of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pakistan mentioned that ‘skilled youth in any country is the strength to pave the way for a brighter future. I am happy that our Programme is supporting the government in training the youth who contribute with their efforts for the Pakistani society in these challenging times”.

The initiative is part of an ongoing Workplace-Based Training (WBT) approach being implemented to prepare young people for the labour market. A special training fund for Sindh and Balochistan has been set up by the TVET Sector Support Programme where 18,000 young men and women will receive practice-oriented workplace-based training. The fund supports training institutes to develop and provide tailor-made programmes for jobs in the private sector.

The Programme is funded by the European Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Royal Norwegian Embassy. TVET Sector Support Progrramme is being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close collaboration with the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs) and a number of public and private sector organizations at national and provincial levels.