The second phase of Meta’s renowned “She Means Business” program in Pakistan has been started in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the National Institute of Banking & Finance (NIBAF), and Demo.
Through cooperation, they hope to provide 500 female entrepreneurs with digital empowerment and other high-value small enterprises with networking possibilities.
This week, Karachi hosted the “The Digital Bridge: Advancing Financial Inclusion for Pakistan” launch ceremony. The Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Commerce officials, as well as other well-known figures from the banking, telecommunication, and business communities attended.
Sima Kamil, deputy governor of the SBP, who was present for the launch, stated: “Small businesses are vital for the growth of the national economy. We are happy to help Meta’s try to encourage more female small business owners and entrepreneurs in Pakistan as they grow their enterprises.
“We hope that the knowledge they acquire will also assist them in accessing export markets.”
Director of Policy Programs for Meta, Beth Ann Lim, stated that Meta is dedicated to assisting Pakistan to grow its economy by empowering small company owners, particularly women entrepreneurs, by enhancing their skills in the digital sphere and assisting them in the growth of their revenue-generating platforms.
“We thank SBP, NIBAF, and Demo for working together, and we look forward to working together toward our shared goal of unleashing the potential of women-owned businesses and fostering a more just society.”
The demo will choose the new program participants from the pool of small company owners who took part in the first round of the “She Means Business” curriculum in Pakistan as well as the export-oriented chambers in that country.
They will be given the skills and resources necessary to grow their firms in the competitive online marketplace.
Dial Zero, Meta’s regional-related sales partner, will provide advanced training on export advertising to a total of 100 participants.
The demo will produce a handbook of case studies on how companies used social media to get into new markets outside of Pakistan at the end of this program phase.
Riaz Chunara, Managing Director of NIBAF, praised the project and stated: “It’s crucial to make sure that small businesses are well-equipped with tools and techniques to use the digital realm so they can market more effectively and increase their consumer base. They are given the impetus they need to expand beyond Pakistan despite increasing their impact there.
2018 saw the Pakistan launch of Meta’s “She Means Business” campaign. More than 30,000 women have received training thus far in 51 cities in Pakistan, including AJK and GB.
