The project ‘Empowering Pakistani Women through Financial Inclusion and Economic Growth’ is working to increase women’s economic opportunity and financial inclusion in Pakistan, by creating a commercially sustainable model of women retailers as mobile financial services agents. The project is a partnership between Unilever, who will support and supply the women with FMCG products, RSPN, who will recruit and train the Guddi Bajis, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (Jazz), who will provide access to finance to retailers and customers via their JazzCash application, and BoPInc, who is an expert in facilitating partnerships and developing inclusive business models with micro-entrepreneurs. RSPN’s implementing partners in this project are National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) & Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO).
Punjab (Bahawalpur, Jhang, Rahim Yar Khan, TT Singh) Sindh (Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Qamber, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Mitiari, Sujawal, Thatta, Larkana) KP (Mardan & Swabi)
The development objective is to create decent employment and income for 3,000 women retailers in 15 districts in Pakistan and to expand financial inclusion of women in Pakistan. The project is expected to grow exponentially after the life of the project to create increased income opportunities for 15,000 women and advance progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The project began on July 13th, 2018, and will be actively funded till December 31st, 2021.
The project targets the following SDGs:
Sustainable income opportunities are created, through increased revenue and enhanced skills for women retailers (JazzCash Guddi Bajis) in Pakistan.
Women in Pakistan are financially included, through increased engagement with female agents (JazzCash Guddi Bajis) and use of mobile financial services.
