Chairperson BISP Rubina Khalid meets with representatives of Bill & Melinda Gates foundation & Karandaaz

ISLAMABAD, June 06 (SABAH): Mrs. Rubina Khalid, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), convened a formal meeting on Thursday with representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Karandaaz to discuss critical initiatives aimed at improving the livelihoods of Benazir Income Support Programme beneficiaries and enhancing the programme’s operational transparency.

During the meeting, Mrs. Rubina Khalid highlighted the importance of skill development in lifting beneficiaries out of poverty. “We want a better lifestyle for our beneficiaries,” said Mrs. Khalid. “Our goal is for them to emerge from poverty and play an active role in the economy of the country.” Emphasizing the need for technical assistance in digitalizing the payment mechanism for Benazir Income Support Programme beneficiaries, Mrs. Khalid stated, “We want to ensure transparency with minimum human involvement in the disbursement process.” This move towards digitalization aims to enhance efficiency, reduce the risk of fraud, and ensure that beneficiaries receive their payments promptly and securely.

Jason Lamb, Deputy Director, Focus Country Implementation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, commended the initiatives of Benazir Income Support Programme, recognizing it as the largest social safety programme in the country. He expressed the Foundation’s full support and agreed to organize further meetings between Benazir Income Support Programme, the Foundation, and Karandaaz officials to discuss the technical modalities in detail.

Also present at the meeting were Syed Ali Mehmood, Country Lead for Pakistan, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Waqas ul Hassan, CEO of Karandaaz; Usman Kokab Khan, Associate Director of Digital Transformation at Karandaaz; and Taimoor Ali, Head of DFS at Karandaaz.

In a separate meeting with Ms. Coco Ushiyama, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Mrs. Rubina Khalid emphasized Benazir Income Support Programme’s unwavering commitment to improving the health and nutrition of women and children in Pakistan. “Our main focus is on the health of women and children,” stated Mrs. Khalid. “Through the Benazir Nashonuma Programme, we are actively addressing the critical issues of stunting and malnutrition. A healthy mother can give a healthy nation.”

Ms. Coco Ushiyama praised the Benazir Income Support Programme for its impactful initiatives and reiterated WFP’s commitment to supporting Benazir Income Support Programme’s health-related projects. “WFP has collaborated with Benazir Income Support Programme on various projects, and we are committed to providing full support for health initiatives under BISP,” said Ms. Ushiyama. She commended the significant strides made by Benazir Income Support Programme in addressing malnutrition and enhancing food security for vulnerable population.