Developing entrepreneurship is an essential ingredient for achieving the UN's Millennium Development Goal of reducing poverty. While sound macroeconomic policies and providing market access are crucial, Pakistan needs to nurture and develop entrepreneurs, particularly with better access to education for its youth, to be able to take advantage of opportunities created by globalisation, said British High Commissioner, Adam Thomson, while addressing the ceremony of Shell Tameer Awards 2012 held at Shell House here on Friday.
Based on the decisions of a panel of judges, Adam Thomson presented Shell Tameer Awards to four winners: first prize went to Gulraiz Khan of Samovar Tea & Coffee Shop in Karachi, second prize to Syeda Neelma Shah of Echo Customised Clothing & Accessories from Peshawar and third to Shahzeb Saeed of Shahzab Saeed Menswear in Karachi.
The fourth prize was the Social Enterprise Prize, which went to Salma Raheem from Zardozi Dera Jutta in recognition of her outstanding achievements. Sarim Sheikh, Country Chairman of Shell Pakistan Limited, congratulated the ten finalist entrepreneurs, who were chosen from 1,000 applicants from across Pakistan. He said, "the insecurity among people that comes from unemployment is something that tears our social fabric. A strong entrepreneurial culture is the foundation of a dynamic economy, developing this culture will lead Pakistan in the right direction."
Afshan Khan, Social Investment Manager, Shell Pakistan Ltd said, "Entrepreneurs are not created, they are born - all you have to do is identify that spark, nurture and build it, and this is what Shell Tameer has been doing for almost a decade now. However, in the longer-term, we need to build a strong and lasting culture of entrepreneurship. This must be done through the formal education system, starting at an early age in primary school, right through to the university level where even PhD courses will eventually be offered in entrepreneurship, as it already the case in some countries."
Prior to the ceremony, a number of top-notch professionals from the corporate and industrial sectors, distinguished faculty from schools and universities, innovative entrepreneurs and members of media visited an exhibition where the 10 finalists were showcasing their businesses at Shell House.