72 young women from Balochistan complete skills training at IRM

ISLAMABAD, Sep 24 (APP):Seventy-two young women from Balochistan’s Kech, Gwadar and Panjgur districts on Thursday completed professional training in Beautician and Cosmetology under the Government of Balochistan-funded RISE Programme at the Institute of Rural Management (IRM), Islamabad.

Certificates were distributed among the graduates at a ceremony held at the IRM Complex, with Provincial Minister for Education, Government of Balochistan, Ms. Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani, as chief guest.

Dr. Roomi S. Hayat, CEO IRM, Dr. Tahir Rasheed, CEO Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP), and Ms. Shandana Humayun Khan, CEO Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN), were also present on the occasion. Ms. Ambrina Bakhtiar, Chief of SDGs, Government of Pakistan, attended the ceremony as a distinguished guest.

Speaking at the ceremony, the chief guest commended the Chief Minister Balochistan for initiating the programme and appreciated the graduates for their determination to acquire professional skills, saying such initiatives would contribute to sustainable socio-economic development in the province.

Dr. Roomi S. Hayat, CEO IRM, called the occasion one of genuine significance. He noted that the graduates had come from districts where simply seeking a skill is an act of courage, and that their completion of a rigorous programme represented real transformation. Drawing on IRM’s three-decade track record in underserved communities, he reaffirmed that investing in women yields returns for entire households and generations. He placed on record IRM’s appreciation for the Government of Balochistan’s commitment to the RISE Programme, and for BRSP’s partnership, which he described as grounded in shared purpose and mutual respect.

CEO BRSP Dr. Tahir Rasheed expressed gratitude to the Government of Balochistan for envisioning and funding RISE, and appreciated IRM for providing quality training in a professional learning environment. He assured graduates that BRSP would continue supporting them through post-training linkages, mentoring, market connections and financial support where applicable.

He noted that more than 450 youth — including around 200 young women — are currently enrolled across institutions including IRM, COTHM Karachi and universities in Turbat, Gwadar and Panjgur. In view of the strong response, the programme’s training target is being scaled from 4,000 to over 5,000 youth.

The graduates expressed gratitude for the opportunity to receive professional training at IRM outside their home province. They said the hands-on training, professional exposure and modern learning environment had enhanced their skills and would help them establish businesses, seek employment and contribute to their families’ incomes.