BISP, Nestle join hands to facilitate beneficiaries
Shares
ISLAMABAD: Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and Nestl‚ Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here Tuesday to provide livelihood opportunities to BISP beneficiaries and reduce malnutrition.
The MoU was signed by BISP Director General Complementary Initiatives, Dr. Najeeb Khan and Head of Corporate Affairs Nestle Pakistan, Sheikh Waqar Ahmed in the presence of Minister of State and Chairperson BISP MNA Marvi Memon.
The MoU was signed under BISP poverty graduation strategy that links BISP beneficiaries with welfare initiatives enabling them to become self-reliant and under Nestl‚ Pakistan's Rural Deep Reach Project, which focuses on needs of low-income population by offering them Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs), said a press statement.
In the pilot phase of this partnership, Nestl‚ Pakistan would provide livelihood opportunities to BISP beneficiaries in Renala, Sahiwal, Okara and Pindi Bhattian.
The beneficiaries would act as Sales Agents on behalf of Nestl‚ Pakistan and would be responsible for door-to-door sales of PPPs within the community as a large portion of Pakistan's population suffers from deficiencies in key micronutrients of Iron, zinc, vitamin A and D.
PPPs are affordable, nutritious and high quality products. Nestl‚ Pakistan would also build the nutrition knowledge of BISP beneficiaries by conducting nutrition awareness seminars.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairperson BISP, Marvi Memon stated that it was heartening to see industry playing an extremely positive role in helping improve socio-economic status of women.
She said that understanding with Nestl‚ Pakistan was a step in the right direction under government's poverty graduation strategy, as it could address the key issues faced by poor women.
Speaking on the occasion, Waqar Ahmad stated that the partnership with BISP was extremely relevant, given country's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
He said, our joint focus was on reducing poverty and promoting economic growth, adding Nestl‚ was also committed to providing greater access to fortified products to rural society.
Through this initiative, "we hope to empower our poor women by providing them livelihood opportunities, along with improving their nutrition status and the quality of life for them and their families". (APP)
