British Asian Trust celebrates empowering 1,500 young people through the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative

The British Asian Trust and Citi Foundation, with Karachi School of Business & Leadership (KSBL), Assessment with Facilitation (AWF) Pvt. Ltd, Circle Women, and SEED Ventures Pvt. Ltd., proudly celebrated the long-term collaboration and successes of four projects funded by the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative. Over the past eight years, these projects have empowered over 1,500 young people equipping them with digital literacy skills and supporting sustainable enterprise growth to increase their livelihoods. 

The event was attended by notable figures such as Ahmed Bozai (Citi – Country Officer and British Asian Trust Pakistan Advisory Council Member), Martin Dawson (Deputy Head of Mission, British Deputy High Commission) Tariq Rangoonwala (British Asian Trust Pakistan Advisory Council Member) and Sima Kamil (ex- Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan and British Asian Trust’s Pakistan Advisory Council Member). 

This event highlights the British Asian Trust's ongoing commitment to helping women and young adults secure sustainable incomes through employment and enterprise, ensuring they have the requisite skills, access to finance and the self-confidence to make these endeavours grow and succeed over time. 

Kamyla Marvi, Pakistan Director of the British Asian Trust, shared her thoughts on the success of the programme, “Thanks to Citi Foundation’s support, it has been an incredible seven-year journey of impact and collaboration under the Pathways to Progress initiative. Together, we have empowered hundreds of young people, equipping them with essential skills for a brighter, more sustainable future. We recognize there is much more to achieve and deeply value our ongoing collaboration with Citi Foundation, which enables us to continue this transformative work.” 

Ahmed Bozai, Citi – Country Officer said, “At the Citi Foundation, we aim to put the NGO’s mission at the center and provide funding to support the advancement of their ambitious goals. We have endeavored to do this throughout our collaboration with the British Asian Trust, whose work through our Pathways to Progress initiative is a testament to the extraordinary potential of Pakistan’s youth and women when given the tools to succeed. We are proud to have played a role in empowering these individuals to not only overcome societal and economic challenges but to build a more sustainable future for themselves and their communities.” 

The event celebrated the achievements of the programme and its participants. Programme alumni proudly showcased their enterprises at the Microenterprise Youth Fair marketplace. Dr. Saeed Ud Din Ahmed, Assistant Professor from NED University, delivered an insightful presentation on the impact of the women’s transport mobility research conducted by the university. This was followed by a discussion on navigating microenterprises in a turbulent economy, led by Shaista Ayesha CEO of SEED Ventures, alongside esteemed voices Sima Kamil, Mukesh Kumar and Saeed Allawala. The event wrapped up with a moderated Q&A session, led by Sadaffe Abid CEO of CIRCLE Women, where four programme participants were given the chance to converse with industry experts on what it takes to become successful microentrepreneurs.