ISLAMABAD, May 6 (APP): The 162 Women Empowerment Centers (WECs) established by Pakistan Baitul Mal (PBM) across the country are playing a pivotal role in imparting skill development training to destitute women, enabling them to become self-sufficient.
According to official sources, Women Empowerment Centers have been established nationwide at the district level, including Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas, since 1995.
The WECs are currently offering complimentary vocational training to widows, orphans, and economically disadvantaged girls. The training encompasses contemporary professional skills such as dress designing, embroidery, basic and advanced computer courses, beautician training, tie-dye techniques, and fabric painting.
Trainees at these centers receive a stipend of Rs. 50 per day based on attendance. Women and girls from low-income backgrounds are trained in two shifts of 60 trainees bi-annually. Out of 162 Women Empowerment Centers, 128 have diversified their offerings to include market-oriented trades such as IT training, beautician courses, and cooking classes (47 in Punjab, 31 in Sindh, 23 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa + FATA, 15 in Balochistan, 2 in Gilgit Baltistan, and 10 in ICT/AJK). Additionally, these centers also provide local skills training based on the area’s requirements.
In response to a query, he mentioned that at present, 12,377 deserving women are engaged in skill development training across 162 Women Empowerment Centers (WEC), with a cumulative total of 277,238 women having successfully completed the program thus far.
PBM’s WEC nurturing self-sufficiency among destitute women
