Facebook launches BRFE

KARACHI: Facebook has expanded its ‘SheMeansBusiness’ initiative and added a new component ‘Business Resilience through Financial Education (BRFE)’ to improve financial management skills of women-led small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the country, a statement said on Friday.

It is being implemented in partnership with the State Bank of Pakistan and the USAID Small and Medium Enterprise Activity (SMEA).

US Embassy Islamabad Chargé d’affaires Lesslie Viguerie and SBP Deputy Governor Sima Kamil virtually inaugurated BRFE at an official event, with a number of senior government officials and representatives of Facebook, USAID, Commerce Ministry and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) in attendance.

Director of Policy Programs and Government Outreach for Asia Pacific at Facebook and Global Head of SheMeansBusiness, Beth Ann Lim said the programme operated in 21 countries around the world, including Pakistan and more than 1 million women have been trained in digital skills worldwide. Sima Kamil appreciated the efforts of Facebook and other partners, and said it was crucial for women led small and medium businesses to achieve a degree of sustainability and resiliency through skill enhancement and access to finance.