A Business Incubation Programme has launched for the youth of the Newly Merged Districts, which will be provided to 180 aspiring entrepreneurs including 54 women from Khyber, North and South Waziristan districts. The programme will provide technical assistance in the form of mentoring, coaching and training. The young entrepreneurs will go through one-month incubation training, followed by a grant provision/distribution after approval of their business ideas.

The Business Incubation Programme is part of the USAID funded FATA Economic Revitalisation Programme, implemented by UNDP, that aims to provide sustainable livelihood and income generating opportunities to returnees, leading to long-term economic growth and contributing to resilience and economic revitalisation of Newly Merged Districts (NMDs) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), said in a press release issued here on Friday.

The programme is implemented by TiE Islamabad in partnership with United Nations Development Programme-UNDP under the USAID funded FATA Economic Revitalisation Programme (FERP).

Various Government officials, representatives of USAID, UNDP, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) and young entrepreneurs from the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were in attendance during opening ceremony of the programme wherein Ms Shandana Gulzar Khan, Member National Assembly of Pakistan, Chairperson Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians was the chief guest.

Speaking at the ceremony Wasim Bari, Activity Manager, USAID said, "FERP will provide sustainable income generation and livelihood opportunities to the returnees of the region who were displaced due to the former security situation.

Mustafa Mehmood, Program Officer UNDP stated, "From working in FATA with the government of Pakistan since 2005, UNDP's efforts have always successfully supported the sustainable returns and rehabilitation strategy.

This incubation programme will help unleash the potential of youth and entrepreneurship opportunities in the newly merged districts of KP. We, along with our partners, believe that the collaboration of both government and private sectors in such ventures will lead to more prosperous and significant prospects."