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ISLAMABAD, Jun 9 (APP):In its continued efforts to fight multidimensional poverty, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) has made significant strides across social protection, economic empowerment, renewable energy, health, education, and gender inclusion, as highlighted in the Pakistan Economic Survey 2024–25.
From July 2024 to March 2025, PPAF established 1,450 new Community Institutions, trained 23,500 community members (50% women), and reached a cumulative total of 171,000 community organizations nationwide with over 2.67 million members with 63 percent women.
Its model, centered on community-led development, continues to strengthen local governance, democratic participation, and inclusive service delivery.
In line with its poverty graduation approach, PPAF disbursed 207,243 interest-free loans worth Rs 9.8 billion under the Prime Minister’s Interest-Free Loan (PMIFL) Programme, 68% of which benefited women.
Since the programme’s inception, a total of 3.5 million loans (56% to women) worth Rs 129.19 billion have been issued through 736 loan centres across 81 districts.
In promoting climate resilience, PPAF conserved 2.23 million cubic meters of water, generated 14 MW of clean energy, and planted 130,000 trees. Over 87,600 households received emergency aid during the 2022–23 floods, while past interventions have supported over 1 million disaster-affected households.
PPAF’s livelihood and value chain support included the transfer of 465 productive assets (31.3% to women) and vocational training for 1,584 individuals. In the SME sector, Rs 1,003 million in matching grants were awarded to 371 businesses (38% women-led), and Rs 616 million in loans supported 345 SMEs, over half of which were women-led. In a notable development, one transgender-led SME also received support, underscoring PPAF’s inclusive approach.
Community infrastructure remained a key focus, with 49 new projects completed during the reporting period, benefiting over 70,000 individuals with 51% of women. PPAF has now completed over 34,590 infrastructure projects nationwide, improving access to water, sanitation, and agricultural inputs for 16.92 million people.
In the energy sector, four new renewable energy projects were implemented, benefiting 4,000 people, and earning PPAF the Energy Institute Award 2024 in the “International Workforce” category for its commitment to green innovation and skilled workforce development.
Health initiatives included support to 968 community health centres, with 15.4 million consultations to date. Between July and March, 38,000 consultations were conducted, and 3,999 awareness sessions reached over 47,500 individuals. Noteworthy efforts include Thalassemia treatment and inclusive care for hearing-impaired children in KP.
On the education front, 15,000 new students (37% girls) were enrolled in PPAF-supported schools, bringing the cumulative total to over 432,800 students, including 10,000 children with disabilities. To date, PPAF has supported 2,866 educational institutions, trained 4,000 teachers, and engaged 6,000 community members in education advocacy.
To enhance gender inclusion and disability empowerment, PPAF has distributed 39,000 assistive devices and provided enterprise training to over 3,000 individuals with special needs, promoting independence and economic participation. Youth-focused programmes continue to foster social cohesion, cultural exchange, and community conflict resolution across diverse communities.
Through its integrated and participatory development model, PPAF remains at the forefront of Pakistan’s poverty alleviation agenda, building a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future for millions across the country.