PPAF and BISP inks MOU to mitigate poverty with innovative approach of Poverty Graduation

Karachi, March 14, 2018: Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Benzair Income Support Program (BISP) inked an MOU to join hands to implement poverty graduation strategy across Pakistan in complete scale for poverty alleviation under the PPAF’s new IFAD funded National Poverty Graduation Programme (NPGP).The collaboration between both the institutions ensures mutual cooperation and provides support for joint ventures to graduate the poor’s especially living in extreme poverty zones of the country.

Chief Executive officer, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund Qazi Azmat Isa and Secretary BISP, Omar Hamid Khan, signed the MoU. Also present on the occasion were BISP Chairperson, Marvi Memon, Senior Group Head, Financial Management and Corporate Affairs, PPAF, Amir Naeem and Senior Group Head, Grants Operations, PPAF, Simi Kamal. Under the agreement, Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund will utilize BISP’s National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) data to support BISP beneficiaries for graduating out of poverty through its financial services, assets transfers and investment opportunities. A number of other avenues will be explored jointly to enhance beneficiaries’ potential for improving the entrepreneurship skills. Officials from both the institutions will participate in program update meetings that will occur periodically to track beneficiaries improvement in term of graduation and for sustain mechanisms to capture intrusions impact.

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund poverty graduation approach combines elements of social mobilization, livelihood development, and financial inclusion thereby combining support for immediate needs with longer term human capital and asset investment to move households out of extreme poverty and into sustainable livelihoods.

The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead apex institution for community-driven development in Pakistan. PPAF works as private sector organization in support of public policy by providing an array of financial and non-financial services to the poorest and the most marginalized rural households and communities across Pakistan. PPAF’s investment in developing capacities of its partner organizations and community institutions has resulted in addressing poverty in vulnerable and remote areas and providing opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.