Advocacy training for executive members in collaboration with CIPE

The attendees

The current president of WCCIM, Mrs. Naseem Raheem believes in the significance of trainings and educational workshops for the enlightement of all the members of the chamber. Therefore, her tenure has seen maximum of trainings, workshops and meetings. With the consent of Mrs. Naseem Raheem, a special training workshop was arranged for the executive members of WCCIM on 'public policy advocacy', in collaboration with CIPE at Ramada hotel Multan. Which was followed by an aftaar, as it was the holy month of Ramadan.

As mentioned earlier in previous blogposts, four of the members attended workshops on advocacy. Masooma Sibtain (former president & spokesperson WCCIM, current vice president FPCCI) is one of them. A great motivating spirit that she has and she wants all the active members to be well equiped and well informed. Therefore, she decided to share her knowledge acquired about 'advocacy' with rest of the team of executive members and took Filza Akbar, the vice president WCCIM,on board to assist her in the task. As Filza was also among the four members, who received advocacy training from USAID. The other two included the names of Novaira Fahad and Fariha Munir, they were also present at the occassion.

A handsome number of members participated in it and learned about advocacy. Through the use of multi-media, Masooma and Filza enlightened them of its history and significance. It was fun, yet serious learning. Former president Mrs. Razia Shah, Ambreen Khan, Humera Batool, Farrah Saqib, Naheed Kausar, Shabana, Shazia, Seerat Fatima, Rubina Rauf, Cheena Gillani and Ayesha Khan were those who attended this workshop.

Here, it will be unfair not to mention that WCCIM is the first women's chamber in Pakistan to have a proper 'advocacy team'. And it has worked on several objectives, successfully securing them. This team, lead by the visionary Masooma Sibtain remained attached with State bank throughout. Asking for introduction of 'export refinance scheme for female entrepreneurs' and 'product development' for 'SME focus group'. To create awareness for this, Masooma held conferences in Peshawar and Karachi also. Recently, state bank has declared that, this idea has been accepted and they are starting it from female entrepreneurs in Quetta. Such a great news it is. This is women empowerment through advocacy.

WCCIM is also working on inclusion of entrepreneurship in the school curriculum of class 8th, by Govt. of Punjab. Women at WCCIM believe that entrepreneurship is introduced late in educational system, as many of the girls drop out of school at an early age. By introducing this, we can equip females for entrepreneurship at an early age. For this, different politicians have been accessed and approached. We wish this team, best of luck for its future endevours and congratulate its president Mrs. Naseem Raheem for such superb activities, going on in her tenure. Keep it up ladies! And we can never thank CIPE enough. Due to them, this chamber is bigger and stronger. Thanks a lot!