TABEER PRO-POOR PROJECT  - (July 2010 - Aug 2011)

 

Location within Country
Karachi

Name of Associated Agencies
Aga Khan Foundation


Context

Tabeer was a one year pro-poor, market-led pilot to address poverty in ultra-poor households in urban areas of Pakistan through capacity development in production of marketable products and creation of sustainable market linkages. The project aimed to test an approach to reduce the vulnerability of ultra-poor households by increasing their asset ownership and productivity as well as creating incomes to counteract income insecurity. The Tabeer model was an aspiration-inclusive approach for the economic strengthening of the urban poor in Karachi. The initiative sought to develop economic activities for individuals and households ranging from intervention and support services for strengthening livelihood assets to bringing social and economic change that could impact the socio-economic capital of the poor households selected. The project operated at different socio-economic layers, that is, it worked with both ultra-poor and very poor households, although individuals within those households which the project targeted were often unemployed and had no access to means of earning incomes.

The project was undertaken by ECDI with support from the Aga Khan Development Network, the Aga Khan Social Welfare Board and the National Council. The project was implemented in squatter and low-income settlements in three adjacent areas in Golimar in the city of Karachi, that is, in i) Sultanabad ii) Sindhipara and iii) Aliabad.

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Objectives of the project

The primary objective of the project is to facilitate augmentation of the economic status of 200 ultra-poor households through product development, marketing and by building the skills of beneficiaries for meeting their socioeconomic aspirations. Intervention design was around enterprises reflective of both aspirations of producers and market trends. Tabeer builds on the existing skills training efforts of the Social Welfare Board and both strengthens skill training and adds entrepreneurship training for sustainable linkages to mainstream markets. A key strategy of the pilot phase is to seek out leaders from within the more entrepreneurial and mobile women who could become role models for the community and act as intermediaries and organizers for ultra-poor women producers.

Results / Impact

Six trades were identified for inclusion in the project and 211 beneficiaries were trained in ladies dress making, baby wear, straw products, fabric painting, tie and dye, and hand embroidery. In each trade, Production Group Leader/s (PGLs) were identified who managed a group of women producers within the respective trades. These leaders were made mobile and are now acting as market intermediaries - getting orders from buyers and distributing it amongst their women producers while keeping a small commission for themselves. To ensure smooth functioning of the project, the group leaders were guided by ECDI to carry out three cycles of cooperative production under the supervision of respective technical trainers and were assisted in costing and pricing, negotiations with buyers, and also in bringing about creativity and innovation in their products.

Through the Asset Grant Scheme (Qarz-e-Hasna Plan), all 211 beneficiaries who attended technical training sessions received tools and equipment to start and continue production in their respective trades. 15 individuals have been developed as street vendors and are earning on a regular basis. After the adoption of a group production strategy, 43 group leaders were introduced to the First Microfinance Agency and First Micro-Insurance Agency. Moreover, 7 beneficiaries have opened their own training centers and 1 beneficiary has set up her own supplies shop in Sindhi Para. However, perhaps the most important achievement of the project is the replication of its model at Gulshan-e-Noor, where 25 beneficiaries have already trained in two trades. This bodes well for any future expansion or replication of the model and clearly indicates its lending itself to a relatively easy upscale.

 

ECDI’S tasks in the project

• Reaching the ultra-poor and targeting bottom billion

• Project design

• Community mobilization

• Market research, linkage and development

• Training and capacity enhancement