Staff Reporter
A Business Incubation Programme for the youth of the Newly Merged Districts was launched in Islamabad on Wednesday. Various Government officials, representatives of USAID, UNDP, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) and young entrepreneurs from the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the ceremony where Ms. Shandana Gulzar Khan, Member National Assembly of Pakistan, Chairperson Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians was the chief guest.
Business incubation services will be provided to 180 aspiring entrepreneurs including 54 women from Khyber, North and South Waziristan districts. The programme will provide technical assistance in the form of mentoring, coaching and training. The young entrepreneurs will go through one-month incubation training, followed by a grant provision/distribution after approval of their business ideas.The programme is implemented by TiE Islamabad in partnership with United Nations Development Programme -UNDP under the USAID funded FATA Economic Revitalisation Programme (FERP).
Speaking at the ceremony Mr. Wasim Bari, Activity Manager, USAID said, “FERP will provide sustainable income generation and livelihood opportunities to the returnees of the region who were displaced due to the former security situation. All the components of the business incubation programme including business development grants, investment capital, and skills training provided to the potential beneficiaries from the newly merged districts of KP are equally important.
