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Thursday, October 3, 2024

Nestle providing business to hundreds of poor women with BISP

News Analysis |

Nestle Pakistan has announced that its revenue from the Rural sales program in the first quarter of 2018 has crossed PKR 4 million. In a commendable announcement, the food industry mammoth tweeted that with its Rural Support program, more than 200 women across Punjab and Sindh have become self-sufficient entrepreneurs.

Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Marvi Memon signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nestle Pakistan to kick-start the Rural Support program in May 2017. In the pilot phase of this partnership, Nestlé Pakistan was providing livelihood opportunities to BISP beneficiaries in Renala Khurd and the network grew gradually.

As per the MoU, the beneficiaries will act as Sales Agents on behalf of Nestlé Pakistan and will be responsible for door-to-door sales of Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs) within the community as a large portion of Pakistan’s population suffers from deficiencies in key micro-nutrients of Iron, zinc, vitamin A and D.

In addition to better livelihood opportunities, the products sold by them will be crucial for reducing malnutrition in the country which is BISP’s key empowerment output and goal and as a result Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be better served, the Minister said.

PPPs are affordable, nutritious and high-quality products. Nestlé Pakistan will also build the nutrition knowledge of BISP beneficiaries by conducting nutrition awareness seminars, said a news release issued here.

In December 2017, Chairman BISP also paid a visit to Renala Khurd. The purpose of the visit was to spot check the livelihood opportunities provided to beneficiaries and progress of implementation plan for nutrition awareness campaign launched by BISP and Nestlé Pakistan in the wake of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between BISP and Nestlé Pakistan earlier last year.

On the occasion, Dr. Adnan Mushtaq, Rural Development Manager of Nestle Pakistan informed Chairperson BISP that in the last three months, Nestle selected 28 beneficiaries who are acting as sales agents of Nestle after getting training. These beneficiaries would provide training to other beneficiaries as well.

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He added that they had made sales up to Rs. 10,000,00 by selling various PPPs including Nestle milk, water, cerelac and juices. 10 percent of each beneficiary’s total sale is the income of that beneficiary.

Chairperson BISP expressed her satisfaction over the business potential of beneficiaries and urged other beneficiaries to get inspiration from them. She discussed with Nesle Pakistan team to scale up the number of beneficiaries in the current as well as in the next phase which would be launched in Thatha, Larkana and Pindi Bhatian.

In a commendable announcement, the food industry mammoth tweeted that with its Rural Support program, more than 200 women across Punjab and Sindh have become self-sufficient entrepreneurs.  

Marvi Memon said that BISP is leading a war on malnutrition in the country not only by providing financial assistance to its beneficiaries but also by partnering with such organizations. She added that the understanding with Nestlé Pakistan is a step in the right direction under the regime’s poverty graduation strategy.

In addition to better livelihood opportunities, the products sold by them will be crucial for reducing malnutrition in the country which is BISP’s key empowerment output and goal and as a result Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be better served, the Minister said.

Read more: Nestle Pakistan working towards inclusion and gender diversity

She stressed other Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) like Unilever Pakistan, Engro Foods, P&G Pakistan etc as well are to provide employment opportunities to BISP families.

She stated that following the business model of Nestle Pakistan, they can also use BISP workforce and hire beneficiary women as sales agents which would increase their sales at grass root level besides helping poor women.