ISLAMABAD, Mar 6 (APP):Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund
(PPAF) on Monday organized Amtul Raqeeb Award ceremony for the
female community members engaged in PPAF supported community
development initiatives.
The award arranged for women across the country to mark
International Women’s Day 2017 in Islamabad.
This year the award was conferred upon seven deserving
recipients, who have contribution to PPAF-supported communities in
self-advancement and socio-economic development.
Ambassador of Italy in Pakistan,Stefano Pontecorvo was the
chief guest at the occasion.
He was overwhelmed by the examples that these women are
setting. The ambassador said that women have changed the status quo.
Chairperson PPAF, Ms. Roshan Khursheed Bharucha said “It’s an
honor to be a part of what PPAF is doing for Pakistan, specially for women.
She said that these women with their strength, courage,
compassions and capabilities have made and are making a difference,
not only in their lives, but the lives of so many others.”
PPAF held the 1st Amtul Raqeeb Award ceremony on March 8, 2012.
So far 33 women and 2 men have been conferred with Amtul Raqeeb
award during the last five years,hailing from different regions of
the country.
This year’s Amtul Raqeeb Award recipients included Bibi
Toseera (Killa Saifullah), Zahida Bibi (Lasbela), and Saleema Bibi
(Panjgur) in Balochistan. Shamsher Afzal (Chitral) and Sabeeha Naz
(Nowshera) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ZulekhanBibi (Tharparkar) in Sindh
and Saira Tasleem (RajanPur) in Punjab.
These women belonging to far flung areas of the country were
acknowledged for their courage in the face of adversity and becoming
role models in their respective communities.