Zafar Sial

Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund

PPAF is an apex institution for community-driven development & poverty alleviation. A company set up under section 42 of the Companies Act, 2017. The organisation facilitates public-private partnerships that have a mutual goal to achieve social and economic change in Pakistan by addressing the multi-dimensional issues of poverty. Established by the Government of Pakistan as an autonomous not-for-profit company, PPAF began its operations in 2000. Thus far, it is working across 137 districts in the country with 130 partner organisations. PPAF works through CSO that are value-driven and based upon neutral and inclusive models structured specifically to target the poorest and most marginalized regions of Pakistan. In creating these alliances, PPAF focuses on ensuring that these partner organisations are well governed and transparency and accountability remains priority. Through these alliances, PPAF extends support to communities in dire need of improving their infrastructure, health and education facilities. It also helps develop resilience to disasters and improve energy resources. It has an outreach across Pakistan (137 districts), supporting communities to access improved infrastructure, energy, health, education, livelihoods, finance, and develop resilience to disasters. We aim to ensure that our core values of social inclusion, participation, accountability, transparency and stewardship are built into all processes and programmes. PPAF has invested in developing the capacities of our 130 implementing partners (civil society organisations), around 120,000 organised community groups, 440,000 community credit groups, 11,800 village organisations, and over 800 union councils to date. With an experience of over a decade, PPAF concludes that local and community-based institutions are key to creating a positive outcome and proving effective.