Peoples' Poverty Reduction Program
About SRSO
The Rural Support Programmes (RSPs) are working in Sindh Province since 1992 to release the potential abilities, skills and knowledge of rural men and women, to enable them to articulate their aspirations and to effectively marshal the resources they need to meet their identified needs. The purpose of RSPs work is to alleviate poverty by enabling people to break the cycle of poverty, which begins with lack of opportunity, extends to the well-known miseries of economic and nutritional poverty and leads new generations to endure the same conditions. The process is social mobilization - bringing people together on new terms for a common purpose. The conceptual tools used for doing so are social mobilization which is to provide 'social guidance' (organizing local men and women who will take on a leadership role), advocacy, capacity building and awareness raising. The programmatic tools are training, support to institutions, micro-credit, infrastructure development, natural resource management and 'productive linkages'.
Sindh Rural Support Organization ( SRSO ) was incorporated on May 29, 2003 as a not-for-profit Organisation and registered under section 42 of the Companies Act 2017( formerly Companies Ordinance, 1984). SRSO is funded by government of Sindh to work in the designated districts of Sindh with the provision of an endowment of Rs. 500 million , that was raised to Rs. 1.0 billion in subsequent years.
SRSO’s mandate is to alleviate poverty by harnessing people’s potential lying within the communities to help themselves and undertake development activities. SRSO is presently entrusted with the responsibility of fostering a network of community organizations at the grassroots level in the Sindh province while applying the participatory development approach of sustainable development.
SRSO works to release the potential abilities, skills and knowledge of rural men and women, to enable them to articulate their aspirations and to effectively marshal the resources they need to meet their identified needs. The purpose is poverty alleviation - enabling people to break the cycle of poverty, which begins with lack of opportunity, extends to the well-known miseries of economic and nutritional poverty and leads new generations to endure the same conditions. The process is social mobilization - bringing people together on new terms for a common purpose. The conceptual tools are 'social guidance' (recruiting local men and women who will take on a leadership role), advocacy, capacity building and awareness raising. The programmatic tools are training, support to institutions, micro-credit, infrastructure development, natural resource management and 'productive linkages'.
About PPRP
The Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP) is a pioneering initiative of the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) and the Government of Sindh (GoS), for reducing poverty through the potential of the people. The Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP) was initiated on the 1st of February 2009 in two districts of Sindh, namely Kashmore-Kandhkot and Shikarpur, with a total budget of Rs. 3 billion. The duration of the project was 30 months and is being implemented by SRSO.
In march 2010 after successfully completing its first year this project has been extended to two more districts namely Jacobabad and Tharparker by the Government of Sindh and is being implemented by Sindh RSPs.
UCBPRP has some unique features. First, the programme was focused on women, and the poor and poorest households, identified through a PSC survey. Second, the programme was the first ever major project of the GoS that is being implemented through community participation. Third, the programme was highly intensive in its development packages and coverage, and was concentrated at the union council level. Last but not least, the programme very quickly covered the programme union councils by organising communities: most of its targeted activities have been implemented within only 26 months. UCBPRP seeks to remove common hurdles faced by the poor that weaken their social capital: it seeks to create economic/productive assets through a self-help methodology by providing access to community managed micro loans, income generating grants, and creating employment opportunities by training youth in technical skills and engaging the local labour in CPI projects.
As a result of this program, the European Union (EU) in collaboration with Government of Sindh, is implementing “Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support (SUCCESS)” programme with a funding of 82 million Euros for expansion of UCBPRP to additional 08 districts of Sindh i.e. Matiari, Sujawal, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Kamber Shahdadkot, Larkana, Dadu, being implemented by three Rural Support Programs (SRSO, NRSP & TRDP) present in Sindh.
Now after successful completion of the First Phase, expansion phase of Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme has been commenced in additional 06 districts of the Sindh Province; Khairpur, Sanghar, Umerkot, Mirpur Khas, Thatta and Badin with the total cost of Rs. 8.94 billion.The project is renamed as Peoples' Poverty Reduction Program (PPRP) and will be completed in 06 years.
The fourth phase of expansion of Peoples' Poverty Reduction Program in district Sukkur and Ghotki initiated in 2021 and will be implemented in 103 UCs with an estimated 5.9 billion Cost.
PPRP is based on the Rural Support Programmes’ (RSPs) social mobilisation approach to Community Driven Development (CDD). Social Mobilisation centers around the belief that poor people have an innate potential to help themselves; that they can better manage their limited resources if they organise and are provided technical and financial support. The SRSO under the PPRP provide social guidance, technical and financial assistance to the rural poor in Sindh and enables them to build productive assets, reduce vulnerabilities and improve by and large, the condition of their village or locality. The project will also help improve social indicators relating to health, environment and education, especially for women and children.The project will also prepare the communities to make use of microfinance for their livelihoods and creation of assets, which are the main reasons behind poverty in rural areas.for helping them to improve their economic condition besides imparting training on enterprise development and making them eligible for self-employment.. The Project will ensure linkages between the poor communities, government departments, and other service providers and between government’s social protection programmes.
Program Objectives
PPRP is the hallmark of the performance of Sindh Government in terms of service delivery to the poorest rural population through Social Mobilization and Income Generation. The Program aims at achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Social Sector Improvement by ameliorating multiple indicators in Sindh which are ultimate results of this Program. The Project builds on the demonstrated successful indigenous three-tiered social mobilization approach developed by the RSPs in Pakistan and specially the SRSO in Sindh based on community-driven development.
The specific objective is to build up the capacity of the deprived population, living in the rural areas through social mobilization to empower the local communities paying particular attention to empowering women both socially and economically enabling them to improve their livelihoods and increase their incomes through Income Generating Grants and Community Investment Funds (CIF) i.e. interest-free loans. The project aims to support extremely poor families, providing employable / entrepreneurial skills preferably to women and also provide them shelter in the shape of low cost houses.
Expected Programme Outcomes
- Increased economic and social services and community benefits from upgraded community infrastructures and productive assets operated and maintained with community involvement.
- An average sustainable increase of poor household incomes by 25 percent.
- Approximately 772,297 rural households in six districts mobilised and capacitated through people’s own organisations (CO/VO/LSOs) of which at least 75 percent will continue to function effectively at the end of the project.
- 365 Enterprise Development Value Chain Products finalized and implemented in six districts.
Programme Highlights PPRP
06 years Programme (2017 – 2023)
Total budget: PKR 8.94 billion
Coverage: 6 districts of Sindh
Khairpur, Sanghar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Thatta.Union Councils:365
Organised Households: 772,297
Community Organizations to be formed :44,560
Village Organizations to be formed: 5570
Local Support Organizations to be formed: 365
Households Provided IGG: 34,372
Households Provided CIF:137,492
Households Provided VTP: 36,092
Households Provided Low cost Houses: 9,623
Enterprise Development Value Chain Products: 500
Expanson of PPRP
05 years Programme (2019 – 2023)
Total budget: PKR 5.90 billion
Coverage: 02 districts of Sindh
Sukkur and GhotkiUnion Councils:103
Organised Households: 252,434
Community Organizations to be formed :14,024
Village Organizations to be formed: 1,753
Local Support Organizations to be formed: 103
Households Provided IGG: 10,000
Households Provided CIF:100,000
Households Provided VTP: 9,000
Households Provided Low cost Houses: 10,000
Business Development Groups: 71
Kitchen Gardening: 10,000
PPRP
