LAHORE (Staff Report) – An event was held to highlight the achievements of the Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Programme (SGAFP) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) at a local hotel here on Thursday.
Deborah Robinson, Acting US Consul General Lahore while addressing the gathering said the programme implemented by the National Rural Support Programme supported 56 grants worth $7 million in Punjab since its inception in 2010.
“From supporting children’s literacy to providing basic health facilities for mothers and children, this programme has made a remarkable transformation in the lives of over 370,000 people across Punjab, including 160,000 women, since it started in 2010,” Robinson explained.
Zakia Shahnawaz Khan, Punjab Population Welfare Minister said the USAID Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Programme has provided a total of $33 million through 257 projects all across Pakistan, improving the quality of life for over 1.7 million people.
“The components of the small grants programme support education and civic participation initiatives, the ambassador’s fund supports projects relating to empowering vulnerable populations, encouraging social entrepreneurship”, the minister added.
The event was attended by approximately 100 people, including representatives from grantee organisations, donor agencies, and the provincial government.
On the occasion, a grant signing ceremony was also held to launch three new projects in Punjab under the Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Programme.
