The Benazir Income Support Programme and Nestlé collaborated to introduce the Rural Livelihood Program on Friday. The programme is aimed at generating employment for rural women in sales jobs for Nestlé products. It is a commendable effort in introducing rural women to take part in the daily operations of a multinational company.
BISP and Nestlé initially joined hands back in 2017.
The partnership was part of Nestlé Pakistan’s Rural Deep Reach Project, which focuses on the needs of the low-income population by offering them Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs). PPP’s are affordable, nutritious, and high-quality products. The idea back then was to create awareness amongst low-income populations, particularly women, regarding nutrition deficiency.
Today, the partnership is reaching new heights in assessing the socio-economic needs of rural women as it launches the Rural Sales programme.
The Rural Livelihood program is allowing women from underprivileged rural backgrounds to improve their lives through learning job skills and gainful income opportunities #NestleBISPwomen — Husna (@husnaaftab) May 11, 2018
This Rural Livelihood program is really appreciable as its all about teaching underprivileged women valuable skills, giving employment and combating malnutrition. #NestleBISPwomen #WomenEmpowerment — رابیل• (@Rabihina) May 11, 2018
The Rural Livelihood program is giving rural women the ability to take control of their lives for the better #NestleBISPWomen #WomenEmpowerment pic.twitter.com/Ft4zxFszai — Alina (@AlinaManiar) May 11, 2018
Already 250 sales agents have been trained and recruited by rural livelihood program in their efforts to combat poverty. #NestleBISPwomen pic.twitter.com/ib4i4s3JT7 — Sadaf Alvi (@TheGrumpyDoctor) May 11, 2018
While celebrating Nestle and BISP is well deserved by them, it is equally or perhaps more important to focus on the narratives of the beneficiaries themselves.
The program has seen many success stories such as Rani Begum from Sukkur who has successfully enrolled all 6 of her children back in school. #NestleBISPwomen #WomenEmpowerment — Nestlé Pakistan (@nestlepakistan) May 11, 2018
The program has seen many success stories such as Rani Begum from Sukkur who has successfully enrolled all 6 of her children back in school. #NestleBISPwomen #WomenEmpowerment — Nestlé Pakistan (@nestlepakistan) May 11, 2018
The story of Rani Begum, a beneficiary of BISP, is truly inspirational. She is a mother of 7, who has worked hard under the partnership to now be able to send all her children to school. She manages to earn PKR 14,000 every quarter working as a sales agent for Nestlé’s fortified products. Rural women like Rani Begum are at the heart of social change. It is certainly the valor and resilience of this woman that is to be lauded above all. It is their determination to fight the system that helps them move forward.
Organizations like BISP and Nestlé are creating avenues for reclamation of public spaces by rural women.
It must be stressed here that this space isn’t theirs to give. Rather, their role is the admirable creation of opportunities that allow women to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. When assessing the impact of such partnerships it is important to shift focus to the narrative of individual women involved, like Rani Begum. Their stories, in their own words, have a more far-reaching effect in returning their lost voices and propelling socio-economic change from the ground up. Hoping to get details of a lot more success stories of women thriving under the programme.