Our Mission In Pakistan

In 2002, CARE International conducted a study that identified the central underlying cause of poverty in Pakistan as imbalance of po er! "his imbalance is manifested through systematic marginali#ation along gender, religious, class, caste and other socio$ cultural lines throughout society! CARE opened its Pakistan office in %une 200& to address poverty at its roots, primarily through partners, by'

bolstering civil society( strengthening the links bet een poor communities and local government( giving greater voice to Pakistan)s poor through advocacy( and enhancing the *uality of poverty reduction efforts!

Poverty has a oman)s face! +lobally, CARE places a special emphasis on orking ith poor omen because, e*uipped ith the proper resources, omen have the po er to help hole families and entire communities escape poverty! "his approach is perhaps even more needed in Pakistan here omen'

are politically and socially e,cluded from decision making( have limited mobility, restricting access to basic services such as health and education( lack economic opportunities due to limited access to markets and natural resources, restricted mobility, limited livelihood choices, and higher vulnerability in natural disasters( and suffer a high incidence of gender$based violence, hich perpetuates gender$based social hierarchies!

-rom disaster to development! CARE arrived in Pakistan at a time hen the country as grappling ith a series of large$scale disasters! "hrough our emergency program, e have provided relief, as ell as recovery and rehabilitation support to millions of Pakistanis affected by disastrous floods, cyclones, earth*uakes, and displacement! Recogni#ing the long$term needs for support to full recovery, and their ne,us ith poverty, in 200., CARE shifted its focus to implementing developmental pro/ects linked to emergency response, orking closely ith partners and local communities!

Vision
01e seek a Pakistan of hope, tolerance, 2 social /ustice, here poverty has been overcome, and people live in dignity and security! CARE ill be a force and a partner of choice in a movement dedicated to ending poverty! 1e ill be kno n for our unshakable commitment to the dignity of people in Pakistan!3

Community Infrastructure Improvement Project

Project Title

Community Infrastructure Improvement Project

400 union councils in 5indh 6districts 7irpurkhas, "ando Allah 8ar, "hatta, 9ambar 5hahdad 9ot, and +hotki: and Pun/ab 6districts 7ultan, ;ehari, Ra/anpur, and 7u#affargarh: & years 67ay 2040<April 204&: Canadian International =evelopment Agency 6CI=A: A1A> $ C=5 "ameer 7icrofinance ?ank, "elenor Easy Paisa and Asia Care @ocal Concils Associations of Pakistan 6@CAP: A,B&0 !ciip!org!pk

Location

Duration Donor Implementation Partners Private Sector Partners Advocacy Partners Direct Beneficiaries Project e!site

Background
-or many omen in developing countries, rights such as education, employment and social mobility are easily accessible and idely accepted as a part of life! ?ut for many omen in Pakistan, especially in the rural areas of the country, many of these basic rights are denied completely due to deep$rooted cultural and institutional constraints! "o empo er rural omen by enhancing their self$reliance and business skills, CARE international in Pakistan is collaborating ith CARE Canada to implement the 0Community Infrastructure Improvement Pro/ect3 6CIIP:! -unded by the Canadian International =evelopment Agency, this pro/ect is a replica of the CI=A$funded Rural 7aintenance Programme 6R7P:, hich as successfully implemented for over 20 years in ?angladesh and, is a proven model for poverty alleviation and economic empo erment of rural disadvantaged omen! CIIP aims to make a solid contribution to alleviating poverty, empo ering disadvantaged rural omen, and strengthening local government institutions for sustainable development in Pakistan! "he pro/ect model is based on a rotating t o$year cycle that enables omen to gain confidence to ork outside the home, earn an income, ac*uire necessary life skills,

generate start$up capital, and initiate entrepreneurial activities! "he ork comprises of maintenance of rural earthen roads and community infrastructures! Every t o years, a ne group of omen enters the pro/ect cycle! Participants ho e,it from the pro/ect come a ay ith sufficient skills and training for continued self$employment! Apart from the omen ho participate, the pro/ect ill also benefit 400 union councils 6administrative subdivisions ithin districts: by connecting them via road ays ith other settlements and larger transportation routes!

Objectives

Enable omen in targeted rural areas to become economically and socially empo ered( Create employment for appro,imately A,B&0 rural destitute omen( Engage local omen in maintenance of rural earthen roads and community infrastructures 6up to 42,000 kilometers:( Provide life skills training to participants( and 5ensiti#e local government institutions at the local and district levels on gender and development issues!

Major Activities
9ey pro/ect activities include training of the omen comprising the Road 7anagement "eam 6R7": and development of linkages bet een R7" members 6pro/ect participants: and the local stakeholders ho can facilitate them in future entrepreneurial undertakings! "he follo ing specific tasks are entailed'

"echnical training of R7" members in *uality road maintenance( "raining of R7" members in group formation and team building( "raining of R7" members in life skills( "raining of R7"in basic business management( Release of escro $savings money to pro/ect participants to enable them to start up self$planned micro$enterprises( Establishment of linkages of pro/ect participants ith the district administration, local governments, microcredit institutions, skills training centers, and business development centers( and Program orientation for local governments and community based organi#ations 6C?Cs:!

CIIP has no entered its third year of implementation! "he pro/ect)s achievements over the past t o years include the follo ing'

E,pansion of activities to 400 DCs in nine districts in 5indh and Pun/ab(

Employment of 4,&00 destitute omen as road maintenance cre ( "raining of R7"s in technical aspects of road maintenance, health and hygiene, and gender and human rights( Cpening of 4,&00 individual savings and group accounts for R7" members in "ameer 7icrofinance ?ank( 5uccessful engagement ith provincial, district and talukaEtehsil level government line departments for pro/ect implementation( Initiation of the formation of Provincial Advisory Committees in 5indh and Pun/ab( Assistance provided to R7" members in issues related to health, education, legal advice, and legal aid, as and hen needed( and Provision of cellular phones, saving certificates, and health insurance cards to 4F& R7" members in "ando Allah 8ar!

Expected Outcomes

1omen in targeted rural areas enabled to become economically and socially empo ered! Employment created for appro,imately A,B&0 rural destitute omen! @ocal omen engaged in maintenance of rural earthen roads and community infrastructures 6up to 42,000 km: @ife skills training ac*uired by pro/ect participants( @ocal and district government institutions sensiti#ed regarding gender and development issues!