Daily Times

The second phase of Meta’s renowned “She Means Business” programme in Pakistan has been launched in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the National Institute of Banking & Finance (NIBAF), and Demo.

Through training, resource access, and networking opportunities, they hope to digitally amplify 500 women entrepreneurs and other high-value small businesses.

This week, “The Digital Bridge: Advancing Financial Inclusion for Pakistan” held its launch ceremony in Karachi.

Representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry, as well as other well-known figures from the banking, telecommunication, and business communities, attended.

SBP Deputy Governor Sima Kamil, who attended the launch, said: “Small businesses play a crucial role to boost the country’s economy. We are pleased to support Meta’s initiative to empower more women entrepreneurs and small businesses and help them scale their businesses in Pakistan.

“We hope that the knowledge they gain will also help them tap into export markets.”

Director of Policy Programmes for Meta, Beth Ann Lim, stated that Meta is dedicated to assisting Pakistan’s economic development by empowering small business owners, particularly women entrepreneurs, by enhancing their skills in the digital sphere and assisting them in the development of their revenue-generating channels.

Demo will select new programme participants from Pakistan’s export-oriented chambers as well as a pool of small business owners who participated in the first phase of the SheMeansBusiness curriculum in Pakistan.

They will be given the tools and techniques they need to succeed in the competitive online landscape and scale their businesses.

Dial Zero, Meta’s associated sales partner in the country, will provide advanced training on export advertising to a total of 100 participants.

Meta will provide ad credits on Facebook to help them boost their presence by reaching out to target customers both locally and globally.

Appreciating the initiative, Riaz Chunara, Managing Director of NIBAF, said: “It’s important to make sure that small businesses are well-equipped with tools and techniques to leverage the digital space so they can advertise more effectively and expand their customer pool. It not only helps them increase their reach in Pakistan but gives them the push they need to go beyond.”

In 2018, Meta launched its SheMeansBusiness initiative in Pakistan. So far, more than 30,000 women across 51 cities of Pakistan — including AJK and GB have received training.