The British Council Enterprise Award Challenge, Pakistan encourages students aged 16 to 21 from to be creative and develop the skills that employers are looking for such as problem solving, communication, financial literacy and leadership. It also aims to develop future generations of entrepreneurs to help drive change, generate wealth and benefit the local community.

To prepare teachers and students for the 2011 challenge, the British Council held a number of workshops on social entrepreneurship and how to develop effective project plans. These were attended by nearly 11,000 students and 900 teachers, with knowledge being shared with a further 46,000 students – over 70% of the total TVET sector the region. Following, the workshops, more than 700 enterprising ideas were submitted, presenting the panel of judges with a challenge of their own! They managed to put together a shortlist of 10 teams to compete in the national finals in Lahore. And, despite strong competition from a largely male dominated technical and vocational education and training sector, they chose Government Polytechnic Institute for Women, Karimabad, Karachi as the winning team. The team members Iqra Jabeen, Raheela Abrar and Sundus Javed impressed the judges with their unique idea for empowering women in today’s society.  They had developed a plan for a Skill Training Centre where young girls and their mothers in their can learn maths, and basic IT skills along with professional skills in embroidery and beauty, which could enable them to start their own businesses.

Iqra Jabeen shares her inspiration:’ After I joined GPIWK, I became convinced that education and financial independence are the only ways by which girls in Pakistan can lift their status. That’s why we came up with this project, which is both practical and effective.’

The team won Rs 100,000 (£700) to develop their project, and a digital camera to record their progress. The coaching centre is open for two hours a day, and three days a week at one of the girl’s apartments, and all three girls gather after school to share their skills. This is particularly convenient for women in the community for whom it is not possible to travel a long distance to avail such opportunity. The response to the project has been so positive that they are now over enrolled.