The festival provided a free space for 100 women entrepreneurs at the Fatimah jinnah F-9 Park Islamabad to showcase their skills and services to expand their consumers in market.
In a bid to support, encourage and promote home-based women entrepreneurs across the country, BOP sponsored the WeCamp festival 2021, which was organized today (From 10am to 4pm) at the Fatimah jinnah F-9 Park Islamabad.
The event was inaugurated by Chair SDGs committee on child Rights- MNA (PMLN) Mehnaz Akber Aziz, Shahida Akhter MNA (JUI), special assistant to Prime Minister Ali Nawaz Awan MNA (PTI) Mussarat Rafique Mahesar (PPP) and coordinator Women Wing to the secretary General PTI, Nafisa Khattal MNA (PTI) and Group Head, Retail and priority sectors Lending Asif Riaz (BOP).
Atocamp (a skill development organization) in collaboration with the BOP, Graana.com, Islamabad administration, Islamabad police and SEED project KP organized the WeCamp Festival 2021. The CEO and Co-founder of atocamp, Shua Khalid thanked the people of Islamabad and Rawalpindi who visited WeCamp Festival to support local businesses. The different business pavilions at the festival included home Décor, home textile, apparel, arts, crafts and jewelry, skincare and haircare products, cosmetic products, organic oils, food products and live food bakery.
According to BOP they wanted to recognise, celebrate, encourage and increase the visibility of home-based women entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The festival provided a free space for 100 women entrepreneurs to showcase their skills and services to expand their consumers in market. The participating women entrepreneurs were able to grow their busines network by interacting with other women entrepreneurs at the festival.
WeCamp festival was to encourage and inspire women who have not yet started their businesses to enter the field of entrepreneurship. This is where BOP played an integral part. Through a separate BOP stall, the bank provided information about Kamyab Jawan, Punjab Rozgar and the bank’s own various products. Furthermore, BOP promoted inclusion by dispensing product knowledge and providing instant processing of account opening to female entrepreneurs. This is in line with the bank’s strategy on poverty alleviation, financial inclusion and women empowerment.
BOP firmly believes that Home-based women entrepreneurs contribute immensely to the sustainability of the Micro, small and medium Enterprises ( MSMEs) sector in Pakistan by increasing women’s economic participation in the labor force. Women entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in reducing gender inequality and unemployment and ensuring the financial empowerment of women. By providing support to these women, BOP is not only providing economic relief and poverty reduction but also their families.
Furthermore, the festival was attended by several diplomats, public office holders and people from all walks of life including the commissioner Islamabad, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad and IG Islamabad Police. Their presence supported atocamp’s effort to uplift Pakistan’s workforce through skill development. The BOP envisions to develop an intellectually and professionally strong workforce in Pakistan by aiding such programs now and in the future.
