The Cause
Rising poverty levels in Pakistan in the recent years has led to over 40% of the nation’s population struggling to make ends meet. One of RSPN’s network programmes- the Sarhad Rural Support Programme, aims to combat this through its Community Investment Fund which empowers rural women through increased access to convenient and afforable rural financial services.
Objective of the programme
The Community Investment Funds (CIF) Model, pioneered by the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), is a transformative initiative designed to uplift rural communities, especially women, in Pakistan. This innovative scheme emphasizes economic empowerment through financial inclusion, skill development, and strengthening community organizations. With a focus on 15 districts, the CIF Model has successfully facilitated rural women’s participation in economic activities, enhancing their independence and well-being. Learn more about this impactful programme and its contributions to sustainable development and poverty alleviation in rural Pakistan
1.Economic Empowerment of Rural Women
2.Capacity Building and Skills Enhancement.
3.Creation and Expansion of Community Organisations
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- Set-up in 1989 to improve socioeconomic conditions of the poor and marginalised, SRSP over the years has emerged as one of the largest non-government and not-for-profit organisations in the region: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province including the Merged Districts. It was established to replicate the Rural Support Programme Approach to reduce poverty and promote community empowerment in north-western parts of Pakistan.
SRSP’s vision is to reduce poverty and ensuring sustainable means of livelihood in KP. Its mission is to build social capital by mobilising communities for poverty reduction, improved livelihoods and sustainable development in the region.
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Learn more about RSPN
The Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) is the largest development network in Pakistan with an outreach to over 34 million rural Pakistanis. It consists of a network of 12 Rural Support Programmes (RSPs). The RSP’s rely on a community driven model of development.The Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP), a non-governmental organisation in Pakistan that falls under RSP’s network, aims to enhance the Community Investment Fund scheme to empower rural women through increased access to convenient and affordable rural financial services. The proposed funds will be utilized to augment an existing program, extending outreach to women traditionally marginalized in the banking sector. This paper briefly introduces SRSP, its Community Investment Fund scheme and how the potential availability of funding will strengthen the scheme
The cause
Last year The World Bank reported that over 12.5 million Pakistanis have fallen below the poverty line in the past year and 40% of the population is struggling to make basic ends meet. About 95 million Pakistanis now live in poverty. The country has the lowest per capita income in South Asia and highest out-of-school kids in the world. Tobias Haque, the World Bank’s lead country economist for Pakistan says the nation is facing serious economic and human development crisis with numerous economic hardships including inflation, rising electricity prices, severe climate shocks, and insufficient public resources to finance development and climate adaptation.
The Problem
The World Bank reported that over 12.5 million Pakistanis have fallen below the poverty line in the past year and a total of 95 million Pakistanis now live in poverty. The country has the lowest per capita income in South Asia and highest out-of-school kids in the world. Tobias Haque, the World Bank’s lead country economist for Pakistan says the nation is facing serious economic and human development crisis due to factors such as rising inflation, rising electricity prices, severe climate shocks, and insufficient public resources to finance development and climate adaptation has placed.