Visit Of Worldbank Supervision Mission

Combined team of Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and their main donor World Bank paid an immersion visit to HDF Mardan Region from March 31-April 1, 2004. The team comprised three senior officials of PPAF and two from the World Bank. The main purpose of this immersion mission was to closely interact with the communities as well as the field staff of HDF. COO along with the relevant PMs of National Office joined the Regional Program Manager and his team for the conduct of this visit.

The conduct of the visit started with a detailed briefing about the history and program activities of HDF with particular emphasis on the partnership aspects with PPAF, followed by specific briefing about the regional details by RPM. The team was divided into two groups (male and female) keeping the cultural values of Mardan in mind. The male members attended the male DO-meetings and female guests attended the female DO meetings in Villages Mahu-Dheri and Chamtar. The delegates interacted with the DO members, saw their progress, evaluated the overall performance of the DOs and discussed the issues related to their development.

The team also held interviews with two successful male entrepreneurs/borrowers named Ghayas Muhammad and Tahir Ahmed, who proved their excelling entrepreneurship skills. Ghayas Muhammad from DO “Khanpur” told the delegates that he had successfully repaid back 3 loans of HDF, which he used to establish/strengthen a mobile oil and Light Pressure Gas (LPG) business. Currently he has one additional employee who assists him in managing his business. The second entrepreneur got a credit of Rs. 26,300 from HDF and established a “Grocery plus Sweet Shop”. The representatives of World Bank got detailed information from the borrowers and recorded their case studies. The delegates also visited the Irrigation Channel Scheme in Village “Chamtar” and 3 projects of Hand Pumps in “Bakri Banda” and “Mahu Dheri” villages.

The mission was served with a traditional dinner followed by a musical program of folk songs by the community, which greatly amazed the guests.
On the second day before their departure, the female guests were shown “Elementary and Secondary School” of HDF. The girls attending the schools were interviewed, and their achievements were highly appreciated.

Date/Time Last Modified: 4/28/2004 11:08:43 AM