The World Bank and Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) jointly funded this project, being implemented by the Indus Heritage Trust (IHT). The Project “RANG”, Developing Artisanal Livelihoods In Rural Pakistan, aims at promoting and supporting the empowerment and participation of women in the economic uplift of their communities. In doing so it will provide livelihood opportunities at the local level, focusing on traditional crafts sectors of textile, embroidery, weaving and other associated crafts industries, such as printing, dyeing, tailoring, embroidered leather, etc. The project will demonstrate the effectiveness of a value-chain, crafts-based approach to poverty alleviation and to improve living conditions for the artisans. The Project aims at adapting their traditional skills to contemporary contexts and markets.

As IB Consultant my focus area is developing training manuals and modules for beneficiaries, resource focal persons (ToTs) and local facilitators working at different levels on business functionalities e.g. procurement, production mechanism, record keeping, sales management, group working, profit-loss sharing schemes, accounting systems, customer services, quality control, enterprise development/management, operational structure of enterprise at various level of project so on and so forth. The project is spread over the eight districts of South Punjab (Bhawalpur, Muzafarghar, Lodhran, Vehari) and Sindh (Sukkur, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Tharparkar) by creating Artisan groups, identify and establish the clusters, Intervene through series of training/capacity building exercises which help the artisan in designs, quality, product development, pricing and marketing mechanism, linkage development and event management.

The project is leading towards establishment of 10 artisan led cluster enterprises in the ten selected districts through the assistance of Institution development, those will be operated by the community on self sustainability model.

Led Light Engineering and Packaging sectors of USAID- SMEA to design and execute a comprehensive working strategy, business model with financials and technical and financial analysis of value chain in sectors and support the SMEs to resolve the factors affecting/contributing behind the low productivity and less profitability.

• Design and develop Light Engineering and Packaging sectors development strategy
• Execute value chain mapping exercise and help to develop a comparative analysis matrix for each value chain to select SMEs having financial and operation capacities to acquire BD services.
• Establish strong relationships and work closely with the network partners e.g. academia, associations, business chambers and clubs, community clubs and government to strengthen the business development and programmatic activities within the sector.
• Identify and collaborate with potential BDS providers, consultants and training institutes at national and international level to increase the program outreach and to link these service providers with SMEs in the designated sector(s) for workable solutions pertaining to increase in profitability, jobs and sales.

GTDMC (Gujranwala Tools, Dies and Moulds Centre) is a modern; State-of-the-Art Common Facility Centre (CFC) established under section 42 of the companies ordinance 1984 by the Ministry of Industries and Production Government of Pakistan.

GTDMC is located at Gujranwala for the national engineering and industrial clusters. GTDMC offers comprehensive a wide range of engineering solutions for industry, including the following but not limited; Advanced level engineering projects – from concept to the end product; Dies & moulds manufacturing on latest CNC machining centre; Product design and tools manufacturing by fundamental manufacturing; process development, new product development, 3D modeling and prototyping GTDMC has introduced the teaching factory concept, wherein the students are provided with hands on training in a true factory environment.

The technical training courses are Job Oriented and well structured and delivered by the highly experienced and qualified professionals to produce skilled workforce for engineering sector of Pakistan. We have successfully collaborated with DFID, PSDF, NAVTTC and other donor agencies to execute different training programs and under that umbrella we have trained over 3000 people to make them effective workforce for the engineering sector. These programs are now becoming a benchmark due to our latest fully equipped facility and implementation plan.

As CEO of the organization; my responsibilities are wide ranging; from Institutional capacity building to materialize the production system, effective marketing and positioning of the GTDMC so that customers get what they want; Policy making and execution of the SoP’s for the better institution building and finally leading the 2 organization from the front to turn it around a self sustainable and customer-oriented unit of the engineering sector of Pakistan. Also Improvement in training institute management system so that fully equipped workforce can be produced.

Agriculture is backbone of Pakistan's Economy and somehow 70% of people are linked with this sector either pure agriculture or agriculture-industrial setups. As a sector lead in USAID Firms project I was looking after the Agriculture Implements manufacturing sector (Light Engineering sector) in Multan, Mian Chanuu, Faisalabad, Daska and Gujranwala, to facilitate the enterprises in quality improvements, Standardization, new product developments, efficient energy and resource utilizations and international market linkages for export marketing. Major Deliverables are as under (2013-2014)

• Hired 26 consultants and implemented capacity building measures such as onsite technical trainings programs, in Machining, Fabrication, Welding, Metal casting, Material selection and Lean manufacturing. During the program over 400 training sessions were arranged in South & Central Punjab at the vendor’s 4 facilities. It was highly effective program which sharpen the existing skill level of workforce up to proficient mark. Skill enhancement, pay raises and new scope of work were a glaring achievement of the project.
• Develop training manuals & booklets, on Welding, Casting techniques and Material selections.
• Implementation of Industrial engineering models & productivity improvements (Lean Manufacturing) for quality improvement, efficient resource management and increase in local and international sales etc.
• Led a delegation of 14 members for Turkey, to expose them the best manufacturing and engineering practices of Agricultural Implements and Participation in agriculture exhibition AGRA ME Dubai 2014.
• Corporate Social Responsibility program were initiated amongst the vendor, implemented through a funding scheme of vendors focuses on labor’s children education, skilled training program, green and healthy environment, social security contribution etc.

The project is first of its type in Pakistan and good example of public and private partnership with the financial support of the Government of Pakistan. The objective of the project is to provide one state of the art display and business center for the manufacturing sectors of Gujranwala (Light Engineering, fan industry, utensils, Home appliances, ceramics, surgical, sanitary fitting etc) to professionally, aesthetically and sophisticatedly present and promote their products for the local and international buyers. We assist SMEs on better presentation and marketing of the product and its designs, establishing linkages between local & international buyers with regional SMEs, B2B/B2C contact development, educating the importance of the latest technologies; train themselves in capacity building & product development areas in accordance with the international standards and practices etc. To comply with the above said objectives; very successful series of exhibitions are organized with the participation of more or less 20 SMEs sectors including 4 industrial exhibitions, 3 Education Expos, 3 Fashion galas, 1 Advertising expo, 1 Banking exhibition 1 Defense show, 1 Agri Expo, 1 Healthcare expo/conference & 1 Vendor fair so on and so forth.
Few glowing points during this job

• Running the GBC on self sustainability model through event management and organized 26 events within 2 and half years. Generated sum Rs 13 million within 2 years revenue for the GBC, Business deals worth million of Rs were also generated.
• GBC with GIZ enrolled as a prospect centre, of Vocational training and job placement, enrolled 150 students in plumbing section, provide them in office and on the job training, and help them in job placement and business development.
• Part of five member team lead by CEO SMEDA, for developing and implement Manual / policy guideline for the projects being carried out by the SMEDA and its related organizations.

I started my career from the textile sector and performed in Planning, Merchandising, Marketing, Brand Development and Event Management areas for almost ten years before moving towards the economic development sector.