US envoy urges public, private sector to foster women’s entrepreneurship

ISLAMABAD (NNI): American Ambassador David Hale encouraged public and private sector representatives to continue their efforts to support women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan during a workshop in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Ambassador Hale’s remarks occurred during the final conference of the one-year Women Can Do Project, funded by the U.S. Embassy and carried out by the Shaoor Foundation. Through this project, over 3,000 women have received entrepreneurship training at public universities and madrassas across Pakistan. Shaoor Foundation staff also has coordinated a series of policy discussions with government officials, educators, business representatives, and others to identify and address the barriers to women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan. “Through this project, we have found that so many women across Pakistan have a dream of establishing their own businesses, but many didn’t know where to begin,” said Women Can Do Project Manager Durreshawar Mahmood. “While training and inspiring women currently in universities and madrassas to pursue their goals, we also have worked with officials and others to ensure future generations of Pakistani women have more resources and fewer challenges when seeking to start their own businesses.” Supporting women entrepreneurs in Pakistan has a ripple effect on families, villages, and cities across Pakistan. Successful entrepreneurs create jobs for other women and men. They offer innovative solutions to problems. They deliver essential services. And they support their families.
The Women Can Do Project is one of many entrepreneurship-related initiatives supported by the American Embassy. For example, the American Embassy sends Pakistani entrepreneurs to the United States on exchange programs, supported the establishment of the WECREATE Center for women’s entrepreneurship in Islamabad, and sponsored the travel of Pakistani delegates to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in June.