ISLAMABAD, Feb 12 (APP): A pilot initiative under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has produced encouraging results in improving nutrition practices and preventing iron-deficiency anemia among adolescent girls across seven districts of Pakistan, creating a strong foundation for potential nationwide scale-up.
Under the School Outreach and Programme for Reducing Anemia and Improving Nutrition (SOPRAN), a total of 103,289 adolescent girls received Weekly Iron and Folic Acid (WIFA) tablets in 425 schools, while 247,956 girls participated in school-based nutrition education sessions aimed at promoting healthier dietary habits and awareness about anemia prevention.
Chairperson BISP, Senator Rubina Khalid, highlighted these achievements while addressing the “SOPRAN Learning Dissemination” event organized by BISP in collaboration with German Development Cooperation and the Gates Foundation.
She said the initiative leverages social assistance programmes, particularly BISP’s Conditional Cash Transfers, to improve nutrition outcomes for adolescent girls and their households through integrated interventions.
She noted that the pilot has been successfully implemented in seven districts, generating valuable evidence to guide future expansion.
Emphasizing BISP’s broader role, Senator Rubina Khalid stated that the programme goes beyond financial assistance by contributing to education, health, and overall well-being of beneficiary families in line with national development priorities.
Paying tribute to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, she described her as a symbol of leadership and inspiration whose vision laid the foundation for BISP as a transformative platform for women’s empowerment and social uplift.
The BISP Chairperson expressed gratitude to the Government of Germany, the Gates Foundation, and all technical partners for their continued support.
She said SOPRAN builds on existing delivery systems without creating parallel structures and holds strong potential for expansion across the country. Stressing the importance of health and nutrition awareness, she suggested integrating such topics into educational curricula and highlighted the role of parents in promoting positive behavioral change.
Earlier, a student participant, Laraib Rasheed, shared her personal experience with SOPRAN, stating that the programme had significantly improved her health awareness, lifestyle, and daily nutrition practices. She appreciated BISP’s efforts in educating adolescent girls on the importance of balanced diets and anemia prevention.
The SOPRAN initiative reflects BISP’s commitment to strengthening social protection through strategic partnerships aligned with national priorities. Implemented under BISP’s leadership, the programme is supported by the German Government and the Gates Foundation through GIZ, with technical expertise from Nutrition International, the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP), and the World Food Programme.
Through a comprehensive model linking nutrition, awareness, and empowerment, SOPRAN delivers weekly iron and folic acid supplementation, promotes access to fortified wheat flour, and conducts community-based behavior change activities.
These interventions have improved outreach, strengthened nutrition knowledge, and generated evidence to inform future policy and programme design.
The event also featured remarks from Ms. Helene Paust of the German Embassy, Ms Maria-José Poddey, Country Director GIZ Pakistan, and Ms Zeina Sifri from the Gates Foundation, who underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing adolescent nutrition challenges.
The ceremony concluded with shield distribution by Senator Rubina Khalid to partner organizations in recognition of their contributions.