June 2023

Meta's "SheMeansBusiness" initiative partners with Pakistan

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has joined forces with Pakistan’s central bank to digitally empower 500 women entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The collaboration aims to provide training, resources, and networking opportunities to the participants, with the objective of advancing financial inclusion and fostering economic growth. The initiative, called “The Digital Bridge: Advancing Financial Inclusion for Pakistan,” was launched in Karachi.

Beth Ann Lim, Meta’s director of policy programs, expressed gratitude for the collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF), and Demo. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, aims to empower small business owners, particularly women entrepreneurs, by upskilling them in the digital space and helping them develop revenue streams.

Roseville, CA. Celebrates Pakistani Cultural Festival

Attendees of the Pakistan Culture Fest in Roseville didn't have to hop on a plane to experience the magic of South Asia. Families were transported to Pakistan for a day of fun at Vernon Street. Through food, music, dance and vibrant colors, the rich culture came alive for people attending the festival.

"We want the community to look at the colors of Pakistan," said Rommana Asmiz, a vendor at the festival. "We want to share our heritage. How we live, our dances, our clothes, our shoes, just our lifestyle. People in our community should be more familiar with our beautiful country."

A look at Pakistan's devastating floods -

One year later

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Last summer’s flooding in Pakistan killed at least 1,700 people, destroyed millions of homes, wiped out swaths of farmland, and caused billions of dollars in economic losses. All in a matter of months. At one point, a third of the country was underwater. Pakistani leaders and many scientists worldwide blame climate change for the unusually early and heavy monsoon rains.



A year on, the country hasn’t fully recovered. The aftermath runs the length of the country; survivors living in makeshift huts where their homes used to be, millions of children out of school, damaged infrastructure waiting to be repaired.

Pakistan’s national disaster authority said most people have returned to their towns or villages, but its flood records stop in November 2022. Almost 8 million people were displaced at the height of the crisis. But there is no information on how many people remain homeless or live in temporary shelters. Aid agencies and charities provide up-to-date pictures of life, saying millions remain deprived of clean drinking water and that child malnutrition rates have increased in flood-affected areas.