DescriptionZakia Shahnawaz Khan (cropped).jpg | Lahore, August 18, 2016 – An event in Lahore today showcased the achievements of the Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The program, implemented by the National Rural Support Program, has supported 56 grants worth $7 million in Punjab Province since its inception in 2010. The event included a grant-signing ceremony to launch three new projects in Punjab under the Small Grants and Ambassador's Fund Program “From supporting children’s literacy, to providing basic health facilities for mothers and children, to imparting vocational skills, this program has made a remarkable transformation in the lives of over 370,000 people across Punjab, including 160,000 women, since it started in 2010,” said Acting U.S. Consul General in Lahore Deborah Robinson. Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Mrs. Zakia Shahnawaz Khan also spoke at the event, which was attended by approximately 100 people, including representatives from grantee organizations, donor agencies, and the provincial government. Since its inception in 2010, the USAID Small Grants and Ambassador's Fund Program, has provided a total of US $33 million through 257 projects all across Pakistan, improving the quality of life for over 1.7 million people. While the Small Grants component of the program supports education and civic participation initiatives, the Ambassador’s Fund supports projects relating to empowering vulnerable populations, encouraging social entrepreneurship, developing small-scale energy solutions, promoting culture and the arts, and improving disaster preparedness. |