Haji Noor-ud-Din and his workers at his shop in the bustling Namak Mandi bazaar, with leather and rubber shoes strewn about, worked against the clock to deliver on time the orders placed for the famous Peshawar Chappal.
Amid power outages coupled with power fluctuations, this 60-year-old shoemaker was seen putting the finishing touches on the popular footwear popular in KP, Karachi and the Gulf countries for its glossy designs and affordable prices.
“I entered the shoemaking trade in 1976 after the death of my father. My teacher Ajmal Din helped me learn this art. After five years, I opened my own shop in Jahangirpura Bazaar near Qissa Khwani and later shifted it to Namak Mandi from where I never looked back,” said Haji Noor ud Din.
Commonly known as Chacha Noor-ud-Din, he uses imported leather for the glossy finish and durability of his product. “I import special soft leather and modify traditional designs to make the sole thicker with foam coated inside to add variety to my hand-stitched shoes. One pair goes through six stages in skilled hands to become a finished product.”
Chacha Noor ud Din is a shining example of small and medium enterprises that earn a living by selling shoes across the country and abroad. He is one of thousands of others involved in small businesses to earn bread and butter for their families.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and cottage industries, once the backbone of our economy, have witnessed an alarming decline in recent decades, with many people associated with traditional ceramics, power looms, handicrafts, clay pottery, weaving and knitting, and toy making, etc. lost her job. .
As large chains and commercial entities have developed at a faster pace in the recent past, small and medium-sized businesses have further shrunk and some have rightfully disappeared from the scene.
“With this downward trend, many youths are not finding suitable businesses, leading to an increase in unemployment and poverty,” said Fayyaz Khan, a retired school teacher.
Statistics show that about 62 million people in Pakistan are under the age of 35, but unfortunately, about half of them are unemployed. In addition to the gap between education and industry, the main reasons for fewer job opportunities for educated youth and professionals are the lack of technical and professional knowledge, the deteriorating level of education and competence of professionals.
“I entered the gem business after many years of unemployment when employers repeatedly rejected me due to lack of experience,” said graduate Ihtisham Khan, who has been associated with the gem business in Peshawar for the past five years.
Although Pakistan’s unemployment rate has shown a nominal decrease in 2023, the growing population and thousands of graduates completing their education every year will continue to increase unemployment and poverty rates. In that case, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises can help solve these problems.
“We have a huge space for small and medium-sized enterprises,” said Professor Dr. Muhammad Naeem, Former Chairman, Department of Economics, UoP and mentioned Information Technology, Automobiles, Textile Fabrics, Glass, Ceramics, Bakery and Confectionery, Meat, Fruits, Vegetables, Fans. and solar panels, beauty salons, shoe manufacturing, dry cleaning, gems and jewelry and a host of other businesses where educated and technically skilled youth could get jobs or start businesses.
About 90 percent of businesses and more than 50 percent of global employment come from formal SMEs, he claimed, saying that according to a World Bank report, around 600 million jobs will be needed worldwide to meet the growing global population by 2030, especially in developing with markets where seven of them Small and medium enterprises create 10 jobs.
Dr. Emphasizing the need for close coordination between the State Bank of Pakistan, SMEDA and provincial SME boards, Naeem said it was essential to strengthen the managerial capacity of SMEs, provide free finance and concessional loans under the Kamyab Jawan and Prime Minister’s Entrepreneurship Scheme and agriculture for youth. SMEs in KP and erstwhile Fata.
Meanwhile, a SMEDA spokesperson said more than 225,000 facilitations and 3,100 trainings have been provided to SMEs, in addition to conducting more than 400 pre-feasibility studies.
“The KP Cloud First Policy has been approved for digital transformation and effective use of technology and skill enhancement as part of the Chief Minister’s Digital Transformation Plan 2030,” he informed.
Meanwhile, to support small and medium enterprises, Rs. 12 billion program was launched in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and 44 MoUs were signed at Dubai Expo 2020. E-Kasib (skill) has been launched for an online service in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that helps employers and entrepreneurs find the best talent for their projects and contribute to the development process of the country.
Bolstering SMEs imperative for youth empowerment
