First Women Bank Ltd. (FWBL) and TDAP have joined hands to work together for the promotion and development of women entrepreneurship in Pakistan. Under the MoU, the two sides will have bilateral cooperation on a regular basis as a part of their efforts and commitment to the empowerment of women.

First Women Bank Ltd. (FWBL) and TDAP have joined hands to work together for the promotion and development of women entrepreneurship in Pakistan. Under the MoU, the two sides will have bilateral cooperation on a regular basis as a part of their efforts and commitment to the empowerment of women.

The MoU was inked by Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan President & CEO FWBL and Mr. Ahsan Ali Mangi, Secretary TDAP.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Farrukh Iqbal Khan, President, FWBL said this partnership will strengthen, promote and create new value with and aim to provide financial services in the wider interest of women /women entrepreneurs.

Mr. Ahsan Ali Mangi, Secretary TDAP highlighted the issues being faced by the women entrepreneurs in the country and said that this MoU shall also help to establish a single front in agreed upon areas and promote coordination and collaboration between TDAP and FWBL working for common goals.

The MoU between Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and First Women Bank Limited (FWBL) would ease financial support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to develop Livestock and horticulture sectors in 22 districts of Sindh and Balochistan. The organisations reached this shared understanding at a signing ceremony to partner under the EU funded Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP), being implemented by International Trade Centre (ITC) in partnership with PPAF and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). FWBL is now part of consortium of 22 leading Financial Institutions (FIs) of Pakistan that have partnered with PPAF to uplift the agribusinesses in the GRASP target areas.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Nadir Gul Barech, COO, PPAF shared PPAF’s more than two decades role in poverty reduction through various indigenous programs throughout Pakistan. He emphasised the role of collaboration with commercial banking sector for other common goals and offered linkages for the deliberation of FWBL’s CSR component.

Mr Farukh Iqbal Khan, President and CEO, FWBL highlighted that FWBL’s mandate is women economic empowerment, and the Bank is always forthcoming and excited to take this mandate forward. He further elaborated this partnership through the GRASP project will help reach the women in the remotest regions of the country facilitating their participation in the country’s formal economy.

Mr Irshad Abbasi, Group Head, PPAF supported PPAF’s commitment to help reduce poverty through different enabling programs like the provision of Digital Financial Services at the grass root level. Ms Robila Agha, Access to Finance Specialist, GRASP summarised the collaboration of a commercial bank targeted for women viz., FWBL and GRASP project in graduating MSMEs to a higher paradigm of economic growth.