The Year 2010-11 was a watershed for the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF).
It marked the completion of a decade of operations and also witnessed a change of
leadership at the helm. In the last ten years, PPAF has successfully laid the foundations
of a vibrant and responsive development sector by expanding its presence across
almost all the districts in the country. At the same time, PPAF worked on developing
human and institutional capacities of its partner organizations, thereby enabling
small emerging outfits to transform into medium and large organizations. This, therefore,
is an opportune time to reflect on what has been achieved and what remains to be
done.
As a learning institution, PPAF is uniquely positioned to build on its core strengths
and simultaneously reorient itself to address the challenges that lie ahead.
The imperative now is to make a seamless transition from a focus on scale to a focus
on depth and intensity of presence. The driver of this approach is to optimize the
allocation of resources and maximize outcomes and impact at the grassroots.
To date, PPAF has cumulatively financed over 4.7 million microcredit loans, completed
25,500 health, education, water and infrastructure projects, conducted over 11,500
training events and developed a grassroots network of over 297,000 community organizations.
PPAF’s coverage has simultaneously increased to include 129 districts through 99
partner organizations across all provinces and regions. PPAF was also at the forefront
in responding to the devastating floods that ravaged the country in 2010-11 and
is undertaking a comprehensive recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction effort
in the affected areas. The journey that began in 2000 is far from over. In order
to keep serving communities, PPAF has yet to achieve many more milestones. Through
a constant process of innovation; through re-orientation towards hard to reach and
inhospitable areas; and through a focus on “institutions of the poor,” this institution,
I am happy to report, is on track towards achievement of its strategic objectives.
In a sense, our journey has just begun.
