Who we are
GEAR (Generating Employment Alternative for self-Reliance) Trust is a nonprofit organisation founded in 2009 & established as a formal Trust in 2017. It revolves around the ideology to provide self-employment opportunities to skilled and unskilled individuals for their self-survival with honor and dignity. GEAR is determined to create innovative models of ‘Social Business’ for people who are at the lowest end of the economic pyramid.
GEAR’s Core & Secondary Projects:Self-employment with Interest-free Microfinance, Ulaema Self-employment Project, Education Program, Women Empowerment Program, Agri-based financing initiative, NaikikeTokri initiative &Clothing Bank.
Our project
Women’s Empowerment through Entrepreneurship with micro-finance
GEAR Trust has started different initiatives focusing on the empowerment of women belonging to underprivileged urban and rural areas. Women Self-Employment Project under GEAR Women Self-Employment Program, females from less-privileged socio-economic class are provided interest-free micro-finance for facilitating their self-employment. The team also provides constant mentoring, follow-up and support during the whole micro-finance tenure. The funded amount is invested to build/expand sustainable business ventures.
GEARs dedicated field officers surveys and identifies these skilled women from less privileged areas within Karachi such as: Orangi Town, Malir, Korangi, New Karachi etc. The COSARAF funded project will focus on supporting women in Mehran Town, Karachi as a target.
Our Impact
This microfinance initiative has positively impacted the lives of more than 230 deserving women beneficiaries (36 women belonged to Mehran Town – FBF). It aimed at promoting social innovation by offering microfinance to create employment prospects. The females were not only empowered to start their own initiatives from the comfort of their homes but also, were able to contribute in their families and society enlarge.
GEAR’s dedicated team of women field officers surveyed and identified the skilled women from less privileged areas across Karachi & Hyderabad city including: Malir, Korangi, Landhi, F.B Area, Liaquatabad, Qasim Town, Mehran Town, Surjhani Town, New Karachi, Baldia Town, Orangi Town etc. Also, women artisans from Interior Sindh (Badin Village) were also supported through this initiative.
GEAR Trust funded around 237 women over the period of October 2023 to March 2024 (with a total of 36 women funded through FBF in Mehran Town). These women beneficiaries started their ventures and/or invested amount to expand their businesses in the trade categories including; Food & Cooking, Stitching & Embroidery, Beauty Salon, IT & Education, Farming & Livestock etc.
Moreover, this funded amount was also used to empower the Women Artisan from Interior Sindh (Badin) who started making hand-made heritage products such as Quilts etc. with the microcredit.
With the funded amount (Zakat Based) of PKR 35,000 – 40,000, out of total, 167 women have reported their monthly income – their total income being PKR 1.9 million – where the average is PKR 11.5 thousand per beneficiary per month. Considering the income of the remaining 70 beneficiaries with the same average of PKR 11.5 thousand, their total income would become PKR 805 thousand. Hence, a total of PKR 2.7 million would be
generated as their total monthly income. In addition, 233 (98%) out of 237 women have been carrying-on their businesses.
This Women Self-Employment initiative has helped less-privileged women in developing and growing their businesses and creating positive impact in society by getting empowered both financially and socially.
