ISLAMABAD - The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) in line with the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is building the capacity of returnee migrants and providing them with trade-specific tool-kits as an in-kind support to help them start sustained self-employment in the country.
A ceremony was organized here under the OPF’s Pak–German Facilitation and Reintegration Centre (PGFRC) where tool-kits were handed over to 80 returning migrants in the fields of electrician, plumber, carpenter, and mason. The returnee migrants had also completed comprehensive business development training from PGFRC in their selected trades.
The activity was part of the OPF efforts to support returning migrants to make a new start in Pakistan and achieve a sustainable employment.
OPF was implementing a program on economic reintegration of returnees in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Pakistan. It is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation & Development Germany, (BMZ) and was part of BMZ support for voluntary return and sustainable reintegration.
On the occasion, OPF Managing Director Dr Amer Sheikh said that a memorandum of understanding between German and Pakistan governments had been formalized in a bid to support the returnee migrants.
He said this arrangement would support in counselling and introducing the employment or entrepreneurship measures.
GIZ Country Director Tobias Becker said that the PGFRC was playing a critical role in enhancing the capacity of returnee migrants and reducing the unemployment rate in Pakistan.
Moreover, he said, it not only helps to contribute to the better life and wellness of returning migrants but also achieve the Agenda 2030 as well as Sustainable Development Goals.