Economic inclusion remains a significant challenge in Rupani Foundation's program areas. Despite progress in recent years, the focus areas continue to struggle with high level of poverty, social inequality, and limited access to economic opportunities.
ECONOMIC INCLUSION
Rupani Foundation approaches economic development with a multifaceted lens. This approach will create the opportunity to address a gap in economic domain through a combination of tailored, long-term risk capital and technical support to small firms. This has been envisioned by the founder to establish an investment driver to contribute to enterprise development and promote entrepreneurship culture among young generation and attract investment to the region. The intervention will focus on employable skills, sustainable renewable energy, financial inclusion, micro, small, medium enterprises, business, and market development.
Employable Skills
1. Gems Cutting & Polishing
Chairman Rupani Foundation was one of the founder in introducing gems cutting and polishing related interventions in Gilgit-Baltistan. He supported Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and Karakoram Area Development Organization (KADO) to establish seven centers in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral in 2006-07. These centers were the first to develop a cadre of skilled persons to facilitate the value chain of gems sector for the socio-economic benefit of the local communities. The trained human resources from these centers later worked as master trainers to replicate the trainings in other regions.
Rupani Foundation and KADO, in 2007, conducted Gems market survey in all major cities in Pakistan to develop products according the market needs and trends. Rupani Foundation also facilitated other partner organisations to study the gems sector in Srilanka.
Chairman Rupani Foundation was one of the founder in introducing gems cutting and polishing related interventions in Gilgit-Baltistan. He supported Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and Karakoram Area Development Organization (KADO) to establish seven centers in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral in 2006-07. These centers were the first to develop a cadre of skilled persons to facilitate the value chain of gems sector for the socio-economic benefit of the local communities. The trained human resources from these centers later worked as master trainers to replicate the trainings in other regions.
Rupani Foundation and KADO, in 2007, conducted Gems market survey in all major cities in Pakistan to develop products according the market needs and trends. Rupani Foundation also facilitated other partner organisations to study the gems sector in Srilanka.
2. Masonry Skills development program
Rupani Foundation partnered with GIZ to create a critical mass of 1,500 skilled masons, including over 100 women, and subsequent formation of formal associations and linking with employment market.
3. Future SkillS
The capacity building program of Rupani Foundation in future skills has led to the formation of one-stop IT and IT-enabled services provider GBeeTechive.
GBTechive is a purpose-driven consulting organization focused on driving customer adoption to digital Marketing strategies, TeleHealth, Bookkeeping, Health Transcriptions. The company helps IT administrators, managers, and directors get back to focusing on their core functions - managing and delivering impactful IT services to their internal customers.
GBTechive is providing direct employment opportunities to 115 (70% girls) well qualified youth, including 60 girls. This initiative has further trained over 200 youth in different IT skills, freelancing and other employable skills. Read more www.gbtechive.com
4. Impact Investment
Rupani Initiative supported the Government of Gilgit Baltistan to organize the first international Investment Conference ' Unveiling opportunities of Gilgit Baltistan' in Dubai from February24-27, 2022. The GoGB delegation was led by Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan Khalid Khurshid Khan, along with ministers, experts, and dignitaries across Pakistan.
The economic development related efforts of Rupani Foundation have led the creation of the investment arm of Rupani Initiative (RI) as Apex & Co. Apex and Co. is a group of companies for impact-drive investments, which promotes sustainability, equity and scalability contributing towards long-term transformations.
Apex & Co invests and creates profitable, scalable, and impactful ventures that change people's lives in Gilgit Baltistan. Since its establishment in 2021, Apex has made over seven investments worth over USD 20 million and helped hundreds of families in earning a sustainable living.
Apex & Co is industry agnostic when it comes to investing and it has invested in Information Technology, Sustainable Tourism, Quality Education, and Agriculture because it operates at the crossroads of need, opportunity, and experience, pursuing social, environmental, and financial goals. It strives to mainstream its investments from ideation to deployment and post-deployment management of funds for value creation.
Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Khalid Khurshid Khan inaugurates the First International Baccalaureate- IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) School Rupani Academy in Gilgit. The Academy is offering a well-equipped learning and training facility which provides a space of broad imagination and practical experimentation for social and mental grooming. It is the first institution of its kind in the area, which ensure registration with international educational institutions and will provide students with exchange opportunities.
Read More: www.rupaniacdemy.org
Leyurt is a trading name of Apex Hotels and Resorts (Pvt) Limited that aims to provide quality residence in Gilgit Baltistan while being eco-friendly and sustainable. It is an initiative to boost Agrotourism in Gilgit Baltistan. Le Yurt offers visitors an educational and entertaining experience of a rural setting.
Apex & Co also closely works with a pool of investors across the globe and welcome them to invest in Gilgit Baltistan and offers one-window solution to enjoy its services spanning across different domains. Read More: www.apexnco.com
Rupani Initiatives also supported the Government of Gilgit Baltistan to organize the first investment conference in Dubai, themed ‘Unveiling opportunities of Gilgit Baltistan‘.
Gilgit-Baltistan Investment Conference, Dubai showcased Gilgit-Baltistan's untapped investment potential for and global investors. The potential investment sectors included are Tourism, Renewable energy, Agribusinesses, Mining & Minerals, Trade & Commerce, and Tech-based ventures. GB Investment Conference Dubai turn out to be a success with 26 MoUs signed in multiple sectors. Read More: www.gbinvest.org
