In a historic first for Pakistan, a team of female engineers has achieved a major milestone in renewable energy by installing a solar system on the roof of Karachi’s Hussaini Orphanage.
Supported by KfW DEG Impuls and Develop, five engineers from Ladies Fund—Areeba Rashid, Iman Batool, Farhan Anjum, Muskan Iqbal, and Rahemeen Haider Ali—completed this pioneering project, becoming the country’s first women to be paid for solar roof work. They are now officially recognized as installers for Ladies Fund Energy.
This initiative, part of the Ladies Fund Energy program, aimed to empower female engineers in Pakistan.
The project, which included six lithium batteries, was carried out by certified female engineers trained at NED University.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab praised the groundbreaking work of the female engineers and committed to supporting the training of 100 more female engineers through DGF.
He also offered Ladies Fund Energy the opportunity to bid for the solarization of KMC buildings.
Led by Dawood Global Foundation (DGF) in partnership with Ladies Fund Energy Pvt. Ltd., the project focused on integrating women into the energy sector.
Training for 28 female engineers from NED University was supported by KfW and Develop, with these engineers working as both interns and installers.
Dr. Mohsin Aman provided internationally recognized training in “Solar Roof Installation” at NED University, while Ladies Fund Energy designed a high-quality solar roof for the orphanage.
The project attracted significant interest, with 86 female engineers waitlisted for the course. DGF plans to expand this training to girls from interior Sindh in the next phase.
Tara Azra Dawood, CEO of Ladies Fund Energy, highlighted the dual goal of the initiative: to train and recruit female engineers while enhancing their role in the energy sector. She expressed gratitude to Hussaini Orphanage for the opportunity.