The US Government is keen to contribute towards economic empowerment of the people of Pakistan, particularly focussing on improved literacy rates and skill development with an aim to help the country to alleviate poverty and attain economic stability on sustainable basis.
Lisa Chiles, Mission Director USAIDS said this while speaking at the Certificate and Employment Letter Distribution ceremony for women garment workers, trained under Education Sector Reforms Assistance Program (ESRA), a component of USAIDS, here on Saturday.
She said the US Government would provide $1.5 billion to Pakistan in next five years under USAIDS Program. "Focus is on adult literacy and getting people skilled and employed," she said mentioning that all stakeholders were being involved to ensure that these pilot projects actually made the difference.
Elaborating her stance, while expressing her immense pleasure, she mentioned that the concerned government departments, non-government organisations with adequate training capacities and capabilities, garment factory owners and workers were all equal partners in the exercise. With specific reference to the Training Program for the garment workers, she said this was in specific backdrop of the fact that textile was a major industry in Pakistan.
The US Mission Director expressing her pleasure over the fact that first batch of trainees who received their certificates were all women, said training was equally essential for all factory workers as it not only created proficiency but also inculcated proper and risk-free handling of equipment, besides enabling them how to work as part of a productive team. Lisa Chiles with immense experience in serving as USAID Official at different developing countries reminded that similar experiences in countries like Bangladesh and other had produced positive results.