A Turk delegation (TIKA) Turk International Agency distributing the goats along with Comissioner Faisalabad Syed Tahir Hussain, Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan among the poor families

Speakers of goat distribution ceremony of TIKA funded project on “goat breeding for reducing poverty and strengthening the role of women in rural areas” here at Department of Clinical Medicine & Surgery (CMS) made a firm commitment for bringing more initiatives for poverty alleviation in the rural areas of the country. Speaking the gathering of more than 256 betel goat recipients from across the district, Kenan YUSAL, TIKA Coordinator, Islamabad, Syed Tahir Hussain Commissioner Faisalabad Division, Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan (SI) Vice Chancellor vowed to join hands for coming up with new projects of similar kind with the objectives to prosper the rural masses. Mr. Kenan YUSAL said that soon after initiating the TIKA operations in Pakistan, he along with his team started visiting the UAF to come up with certain targeted initiatives so as to revolutionize the living standers of the rural women. Kenan said he was hopeful that after five years, the families would be in strong financial position adding that his organization would like to inter into new business of purchasing the goats from today’s recipients for expanding its role. He was of the view that through goat breeding project the people of both brotherly countries will come closer to each other. He told that in Turkey there are thousands of people with a wish to help the Pakistani brothers and sisters through various economic generation projects. “We should go for more cooperation as TIKA has the intention to make strong collaboration with Pakistani institutions aiming at promoting mango exports to Turkey” he added. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan told that his office is vigorously working on making different proposals including TIKA Extension Centre, Skill Development Centre, aiming at arresting the growing bomb of poverty by involving the rural community in self support programs. He said that providing cows to the rural masses is also on the cards by the TIKA which would be started through experts of animal husbandry of UAF shortly. Dr. Khan told that UAF has named two students’ hostels on Turkish leaders. “We want its cascade effects and growth in the coming years” he added. He applauded the efforts and contributions of Commissioner Faisalabad Syed Tahir Hussain in befittingly addressing the issues of significant concerns. Dr. Khan told that his university has inked an MOU with Ankara University and he would like to be partner of proposed Turkhish University Lahore. Dr. Khan urged the Turkish visitors that UAF would like to have a skills development programs through TIKA so as to directly target the neglected and marginalized segments of the society. Syed Tahir Hussain Commission Faisalabad Division told that providing goats to the rural women is a new initiative by the TIKA which would certainly bring the desired fruits. He was of the view that the people of both countries have sentiments of brotherhood prior to the birth of Pakistan. He assured all kind of support and assistance for materializing the upcoming the Turkish projects in Faisalabad.