The Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company (PMIC), in collaboration with Jazz, Daraz, MG Apparel, and TCS, supported by the Champions of Change Coalition (CCC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the “Informal to International (I2I)” project. This project aims to empower 150 women entrepreneurs in district Bahawalpur by transitioning their businesses from local informal markets to national and global platforms, utilizing digital tools and e-commerce marketplaces.
This project is designed to create synergy by leveraging the collective expertise and resources of these leading organizations to drive inclusive socio-economic growth for women artisans. The initiative focuses on enhancing outreach, equipping women with digital and financial literacy, developing market-aligned skills, and facilitating access to microfinance, enabling participants to expand their businesses and reach new markets through digital and e-commerce platforms.
This collaboration addresses the systemic barriers faced by women artisans, combining PMIC’s financial leadership with the extensive resources and capabilities of its partners:
- PMIC will fund the cost of all trainings under this project, it will lead project implementation and provide access to microcredit through its partner microfinance institutions to help artisans grow their businesses.
- Jazz, Daraz, and TCS will lead efforts in digital and financial literacy training, enabling women artisans to adopt e-commerce platforms and tap into broader market opportunities.
- MG Apparel will deliver customized skills development programs and connects artisans with key market stakeholders to unlock commercial prospects.
This project is a step forward in enabling women to break through barriers and realize their entrepreneurial potential. This partnership highlights the importance of working together to create real change. By combining their expertise, PMIC and its partners through the i2i project are building a pathway for sustainable and inclusive growth for women in underserved communities.
Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company
Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company Limited (PMIC) is a triple bottom-line institution, established to provide wholesale financial services to the microfinance sector in the country. PMIC also focuses on improving employment and livelihood opportunities for marginalized segments in the country, especially women and youth. As of October 2024, PMIC has a loan portfolio of PKR 28 billion, deployed through 24 microfinance providers in 87 districts across the country, serving 670,000 clients of which; 87% are women and 64% of the portfolio is deployed in the rural areas.
