Recognizing the role of women in the workforce, K-Electric organized a mega-event to honor their untiring contribution towards changing Pakistan’s energy sector.
Organized at a public park in Karachi, the women-centric event also served as the graduation ceremony of almost 100 Women on Wheels (WoW), who have undergone training to operate and maintain a motorcycle.
Elated at the occasion, the chief guest of the event Afia Salam who is also member of the board at Salman Sufi Foundation commented, “K-Electric is the perfect partner for Salman Sufi Foundation because both these organizations share the same vision of creating an enabling environment for women so that they can become independent. We are glad to witness that the utility in its essence, understands the role women can play in uplifting the society and the economy if they are truly empowered.”
KE has been working actively to extend the diversity and inclusion agenda – a key component of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – through multiple initiatives. Today, five women are working as the country’s first female grid operating officers, working to ensure a smooth transmission of electricity from KE’s power plants to consumers.
The process of ensuring that KE’s 3.2 million consumers receive their monthly bills on time begins with recording the consumption on their meters. 27 female meter data maintenance officers are part of the cohort of KE’s meter readers collectively covering up to 8,000 consumers per day. The company also encourages women to take up engineering and managerial positions within the company, leveraging their experience to drive conscientious and efficient decision-making.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Executive Officer K-Electric Moonis Alvi stated, “We want to set an example and show the transformative potential that can be unlocked in organizations by including women in the fold, from our boardrooms to the field. KE is committed to empowering women to lead the change in the energy sector and beyond. A significant portion of our customer base is also women, and our initiatives have been geared at establishing a meaningful connection with them to drive a grassroots change in communities. We must appreciate NEPRA’s vision of Power with Prosperity for providing all licensees an impetus to invest and take ownership of their communities. The collective projects have added over 18,000 jobs with over 4,000 being women; this is a great step in breaking the bias within the power sector.”
Pursuant to NEPRA’s vision of providing “Power with Prosperity,” KE also launched the revolutionary Roshni Baji program in February 2021 to tackle the thorny issue of safety within its communities. 40 women were inducted from across Karachi’s most densely populated neighborhoods and trained to become safety ambassadors for the company within their areas. Alongside this, they were provided training in self-defense, operating and riding a motorcycle, and also provided 8,000 man-hours of education to become Pakistan’s first female certified electricians. The program – at the intersection of safety, diversity and inclusion, and empowerment – has garnered success at domestic and international forums. In December 2021, the program was awarded the S&P Global Platts Energy Award. The second cohort of 60 women is also currently active in the field, and has already covered over 150,000 households, imparting knowledge and awareness on the best practices to use electricity within their homes and protect themselves from untoward hazards.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index Report 2021, Only 22.6% in Pakistan are active in the labor market, with the country ranking 7th of 8 countries in South Asia. The KE is proud to be a leader in the efforts to change this percentage, one step at a time.
