MEDA project lauded for meeting needs of local communities in Pakistan

A MEDA project being offered in the highly challenging environment of Balochistan, Pakistan, is part of a larger project – United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Assistance to Agricultural Development in Balochistan's Border Areas – recently rated highly by a team of independent evaluators.

MEDA’s WEE:B – Women’s Economic Empowerment: Balochistan – undertaken in partnership with the Water, Environment and Sanitation Society (WESS) is aimed at increasing the incomes and economically empowering 5,000 homebound women of the area’s very conservative Pashtun tribes.

In a region where women are traditionally rich in hand embroidery and handicraft skills, WEE:B is helping them to develop as entrepreneurs and integrate into local market systems to sell their wares and supplement their household income.

Northern Balochistan is an area of high poverty, large gender disparities, stagnating rural economy and poor infrastructure. “Right now the entire province of Balochistan is extremely dangerous as rule of law is practically non-existent,” notes Helen Loftin, MEDA director of women’s economic development. “It’s extremely difficult to travel in those districts. Yet despite the challenges, local MEDA staff and WESS have managed to achieve a target of reaching 5,000 of the most marginalized women in Pakistan.”

David Doolan of project sponsor FAO adds, “The Independent Monitoring and Evaluation Contract team was very complementary, ranking the project among the top three in Pakistan over the past 30 years. You should be rightly proud that your hard work, dedication and effectiveness in delivering in this very challenging environment.”

WEE:B sales – a key indicator of its success – have shown steady growth: In the first year, women entrepreneurs (WE) saw an average increase in monthly sales of 100%. In addition, 1,557 women are now selling their hand-embellished products, versus only 14 a year earlier.

The project was also recognized for:
•    Meeting the needs of the local community;
•    Being highly rated by project clients;
•    Having greater scope for replication in other parts of the country;
•    And for significant impact in terms of increasing incomes, forming community savings groups, and linking homebound women to the market.

WEE:B has recently been extended for another year.