K-Electric’s Roshni Bajis, Abeera Almas and Zara Afshan, took the center stage at Pakistan’s Pavilion of Dubai Expo 2020, on Friday and inspired the world with their remarkable Journey at the “Women of Pakistan: Leading a Change” event organized by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP).
Hailing from underdeveloped parts of Karachi, these women have become safety ambassadors and driving a massive behavioral shift in society.
Speaking at the event, these ambassadors apprised the audience about their crucial role in reducing the electrical accidents in Karachi which were mostly occurring inside premises owing to a lack of awareness about safe usage of electricity.
Winner of various national and international accolades including the 23rd S&P Global Platts Energy Awards, also known as the ‘Oscars’ of the Energy Industry, the Roshni Baji Women Ambassador Program was initiated by K-Electric.
The program has a powerful objective to provide economic independence to women by making them ambassadors in their residential areas to spread awareness about safety, power theft hazards, and energy conservation at large.
Abeera Almas and Zara Afshan, the two speakers at the event, were part of the first cohort of 40 women inducted from across Karachi in February 2021.
Over the next 6 months, these women collectively reached out to over 100,000 households in Karachi’s most vulnerable communities, creating awareness on safety hazards within premises that posed a risk to residents and were easily preventable.
Courtesy of the Roshni Baji program, these women became Pakistan’s first certified female electricians as well alongside learning how to ride and maintain a motorbike. They were also given training in self-defense and martial arts.
On this illustrious occasion, Abeera Almas said, “We are proud to be representing Pakistan on such a prestigious platform and share our stories with the audience. Programs like Roshni Baji prove that if women are given the right support and opportunities, they can excel and create a space for themselves even in technical fields.”
She added, “We hope that other organizations also create similar programs and empower more women to enter the workforce. We look forward to playing our part in driving Pakistan’s prosperity and reshaping its perception on the global stage.”
This program was materialized in accordance with the United Nations’ 5th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5) which calls for gender equality and women empowerment by the year 2030.
The program is also in consonance with the vision of Chairman NEPRA “Power with Prosperity” which focuses on uplifting the society at large. The program is co-powered by Guarantco and is launched in collaboration with Children for Concern (CFC).
Expressing her excitement during the event, Zara Afshan said, “It gives us tremendous joy that through this Roshni Baji Program, we have become the source of national pride.”
She added, “The journey towards becoming safety ambassadors was not easy, but we showed everyone that with determination and passion, it is possible. I feel proud to be a Roshni Baji; not only have I been able to create a change in my community, but I am empowered enough to financially support my family.”
Zehra Mehdi, Director ESG & Sustainability at K-Electric who also spoke at the event, added “We would like to thank the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan and the organizers of the Pakistan Pavilion for providing us the opportunity to highlight our initiative.”
“As a progressive and innovative power utility, KE is always seeking opportunities to create value and drive socioeconomic development through grassroots engagement. We believe in empowering residents to take ownership of their communities because this creates sustainable impact,” added Zehra.
Zaki Ahmed Khan, Vice President EFP also commended the initiative, stating “Pakistan is progressing quickly to become a major player in the region, and we recognize that women can play an integral role in driving this transformation.”
He said, “We are proud to showcase some of these inspiring initiatives today, and we look forward to collaborating with global leaders and experts to help Pakistan catalyze its efforts to the next level.”