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CARE International in Pakistan, Mastercard launch ‘Ignite’ program to support entrepreneurs

10:19 PM | 9 Sep, 2021
CARE International in Pakistan, Mastercard launch ‘Ignite’ program to support entrepreneurs

ISLAMABAD – In support of the Pakistan Government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS), CARE International in Pakistan (CIP) and Mastercard launched the ‘Ignite’ small business program during a ceremony presided by Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, in Islamabad.

The program is part of a global collaboration between CARE and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

The program will be rolled out with several local partners including U-Bank – its financial service provider, White Rice – a behavioral design firm and Mera Maan – a social enterprise focused on capacity building and enterprise development.

 Over three years, ‘Ignite’ will:

  • Impact 397,000 entrepreneurs, their employees, and family members with capacity and skills building.
  • Accelerate the growth of 45,000 entrepreneurs by unlocking access to credit.
  • Mentor 3,000 entrepreneurs concentrating on digital skills and tools.
  • Reach an additional 2 million entrepreneurs through the outreach campaign by creating awareness and understanding on formal and digital financial services.

 As the COVID-19 pandemic accelerates the move toward a digital economy, women risk being left further behind without tailored support and digital tools. To ensure they can survive and thrive in the digital economy, ‘Ignite’ will ensure that at least 30% of entrepreneurs supported are females. By facilitating access to capital, digital tools and skills, the program will foster a supportive and empowering environment for women entrepreneurs.

“Through the work of the Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard’s social impact arm, we continue to help address barriers to enable entrepreneurs to grow and become more resilient. Ignite will provide growth-orientated small businesses with the tools they require to grow so that they can continue to strengthen the economy and catalyze job creation,” said Natasha Jamal, Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Speaking at the launch, the Country Director of CIP, Adil Sheraz added: “Our primary focus has always been to promote women’s economic empowerment through accessible financial resources and increased business skills, and CIP has implemented various projects to address challenges around equal access to and control of economic assets. Our empowerment projects in Pakistan aim to unleash the power of growth-oriented entrepreneurs and contribute to a resilient and inclusive economy. ‘Ignite’ is a transformational project enabling financial and technological access for entrepreneurs, especially women, and will positively impact millions of people.”

Last year, Mastercard committed $250M to support small businesses around the world and made a global commitment to provide 25 million women entrepreneurs with digital solutions that can help them grow their businesses by 2025. CARE International believes in taking a market-based approach to service delivery that is sustainable and scalable, by working closely with local service providers. These partnerships open up much-needed access to financial and digital resources, whilst building entrepreneurs’ business capacity and networks.

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Pakistani rupee inches up against US dollar, Euro, Pound and other currencies - Check forex rates here

Pakistani rupee advanced its winning momentum against US dollar, and other currencies in the open market amid strong economic cues.

Dollar Rate in Pakistan Today

On Saturday, the US dollar was being quoted at 285.15 for buying and 287.95 for selling.

Euro moves down to 309.9 for buying and 310.5 for selling. British Pound rate stands at 359.4 for buying, and 360.05 for selling.

UAE Dirham AED also moved down to 77.45 whereas the Saudi Riyal drops to 75.82.

Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan – 2 December 2023

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 285.15  287.95 
Euro EUR 309.9  310.5 
UK Pound Sterling GBP 359.4  360.05 
U.A.E Dirham AED 77.45  77.6
Saudi Riyal SAR 75.82 75.97
Australian Dollar AUD 187.72 188.22
Bahrain Dinar BHD 759.94 767.94
Canadian Dollar CAD 209.99 210.49
China Yuan CNY 39.78 39.88
Danish Krone DKK 41.95 42.05
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.38 36.48
Indian Rupee INR 3.39 3.5
Japanese Yen JPY 1.49 1.56
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 926.39 935.39
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 60.38 60.98
New Zealand Dollar NZD 173.44 175.44
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.25 26.55
Omani Riyal OMR 742.16 750.18
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 78.5 79.2
Singapore Dollar SGD 212.45 212.95
Swedish Korona SEK 27.09 27.19
Swiss Franc CHF 325.38 325.88
Thai Bhat THB 8.05 8.09

Gold registers big fall in Pakistan; check today gold rates in Pakatan - 2 December 2023

The price of gold fell by thousands of rupees as precious metal lost shine despite an upward trend in the international market.

Gold Rates in Pakistan Today - 2 December 2023

On Saturday, the price of a single tola of 24-karat gold stands at Rs217,300 and 10 grams of 24k gold costs Rs186,300.

Meanwhile, single tola of 22 Karat gold costs Rs199,190, 21 karat rate costs Rs190,138 and 18k gold rate is Rs162,975.

Globally, gold prices hover at around $2072, gaining $32 on Saturday.

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Karachi PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Islamabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Peshawar PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Quetta PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Sialkot PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Attock PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Gujranwala PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Jehlum PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Multan PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Bahawalpur PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Gujrat PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Nawabshah PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Chakwal PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Hyderabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Nowshehra PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Sargodha PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Faisalabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Mirpur PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705

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