UN Resident Coordinator lauds P&D on SPPAP

LAHORE:Resident Coordinator, United Nations (UN) in Pakistan Julien Harneis visited the SPPAP (South Punjab Poverty Alleviation Programme) in Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur and applauded the project performance, targeting approach and project interventions designed for the ultra-poor households with special focus on women and youth. He wrote an acknowledgment letter to the Chairman Planning and Development Board Abdullah Khan Sumbal for the work of his team for the marginalized communities under SPPAP, said P&D spokesperson here on Tuesday. In his letter, he appreciated the way local communities have been organized through wonderful community mobilization and have transformed their behaviours towards development at the field level. At field level, community meetings were arranged in both districts, wherein, UN Resident Coordinator was briefed about the SPPAP. Presentations were delivered by the Community Organizations followed by the interaction with project beneficiaries and visit of project interventions included low-cost houses, small ruminants, vocational enterprise training, Community Physical Infrastructure Schemes (CPIs), Food Banks etc. It is pertinent to mention that Southern Punjab Poverty Alleviation Project (SPPAP)-IFAD Assisted is a joint initiative of the Punjab Government, P&D Board and UN donor Agency IFAD. The project objective was to increase the incomes of the target population by enhancing their employment potential and boosting agricultural productivity and production also to contribute to the reduction of poverty in Southern Punjab.