The Resident Coordinator, United Nations (UN) in Pakistan visited the SPPAP 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 later wrote an acknowledgment letter to the Chairman Planning and Development Board Mr. Abdullah Khan Sumbal for the work of his team for the marginalised communities under SPPAP.

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 Government of the Punjab, P&D Board and UN donor Agency IFAD. The project objective is 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.