PakW2E2 Aims to Increase Women Entrepreneurship Development Efforts in Pakistan

PakW2E2- Pakistan Wireless Women Entrepreneurship & Empowerment was organized as a session on ‘Addressing gender and digital divide through  ICTs’ for  aspiring women entrepreneurs in Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi, Punjab. A project funded by US state department and World learning. The project talks beyond the gender and digital divide. This program will help them address the socio-cultural barriers currently impeding the entrepreneurial development in Pakistan and give them an opportunity to expand their business.

PakW2E2 Aims to Increase Women Entrepreneurship Development Efforts in Pakistan

The project is an attempt to train the local women entrepreneurs and educate them how technology can prove to be a catalyst in the growth of their business. The project is also focusing on the 3Es (ecommerce, emarketing and ebanking). The stepping stone of this project drives down to the rising challenges for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan and the skyrocketing needs of this globalized business world. In Pakistan, women entrepreneurs face a lot of difficulties and don’t enjoy the same opportunities as men due to different socio-cultural reasons.

The economic potential of female entrepreneurs is not being attained as they suffer from a lack of access to capital, land, business premises, information technology, training and agency assistance. The media, educational policy makers and government agencies could combine to provide women with improved access to business development services and facilitate local, regional and national networks. This would help integration of women entrepreneurs into the mainstream economy if greased a little more by such purposeful small projects.

“PAKW2E2 is going to be a sustainable project move cashing down number of responsibilities successfully.It will generate ripple impacts in five devious and neglected regions of Pakistan and women universities in Pakistan. We are empowering the women entrepreneurs through our ICT capacity enhancement programs, which will upgrade your business skills with the most powerful tool of Information, communications and technologies.”

Said Durre Mahmood, project head PAKW2E2, while addressing to FJWU students.

The session also focused on an activity-based session in group to polish the business communication and project management skills of women entrepreneurs.

“Such activities are very important to polish the communication skills of these women, also giving them the confidence to practice their managerial and entrepreneurial skills.”

Added Haseeb Mahmood, project officer PAKW2E2.

The project engaged international mentors such as Vishali Neotia(CEO Merixus), Arif Nezami (CEO PreneurLab) who talked how tech could bring about social change in Pakistan. Th mentors also familiarized these entrepreneurs with different tools needed for effective business management.

“These three Es will help them to add innovation to their existing businesses and will boost their customer base in international and national markets. CEO Innovations and one of the lead facilitators for the program.”

Said Naima Ansari,

The program constituted successful entrepreneurs and motivational speakers from private and public sectors in the capital. They talked about the importance of women empowerment and how modern technology can help close gender gap and digital divide. Ms Naima Ansari, CEO Innovations, Ms Bisma Hayat from Pakistan Innovation foundation, Ali Qasim CEO Knowhere Solutions,Hamza from Dealsmach, Farhan Khan from National Telecommunication Corperation were some guest speakers at the events, who inspired the women students by sharing her successful business story and how ICTs could help women to effective and efficient business management