Mina leads World Bank portfolio

Mina Zamand (Pakistan, MSc Economics for Development, Oxford-Weidenfeld-Hoffmann, 2016) is currently working with the Social Protection and Labour group at the World Bank. Within this portfolio, Mina’s team work on developing complementary initiatives (and hopefully a graduation strategy) under the largest cash transfer initiative in South Asia –Pakistan’s flagship BISP (Benazir Income Support Programme) targeted exclusively at women. In an affiliated project, the group provides conditional cash transfers for enrolment in primary school. Thanks to the BISP’s success, they will be helping the government to expand the programme from a few districts to all of Pakistan. Mina continues to be actively engaged with other initiatives including facilitating the rehabilitation of temporarily displaced people and fostering development of livelihood strategies in Federally Administered Tribal Areas agencies. This work is focused on an area that was completely ravaged during the recent conflict in Pakistan. Mina says, “It’s a little challenging at times, but very exciting work and I love working in a multi-cultural setting”.

To her Weidenfeld Hoffmann Trust family, she says, “this is the kind of work I’d always imagined myself doing. I’m grateful to the Trust for making this possible, and to all who put your faith in me! Thank you!”.