Komal Shakeel is an independent economic policy and development consultant and practitioner who has worked with some of the highest-ranking members of the Pakistani government, including key federal institutions like the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms, and the Board of Investment and CPEC Centre of Excellence. She also has experience working with key international organizations like the Word Bank.

IVLP Impact Award Project: Financial Literacy for Investing in Stock Markets for Women in Pakistan

Komal's project aimed to inspire confidence in Pakistani women to make independent financial investments by teaching them investment analysis tools in a culturally appropriate environment. Her project made a significant impact by conducting three relationship-building sessions and four learning workshops, engaging 146 women from Quetta, Balochistan. These sessions were instrumental in dispelling myths and imparting essential financial knowledge and habits. The workshops empowered the participants to share their newfound knowledge with their families and friends, extending the project's impact beyond its immediate participants.

Komal's project allowed women in unreached communities to have financial conversations for the first time, a topic that has been non-existent in those areas. Through open conversations, Komal cultivated trust within the community, enabling discussions on financial literacy, social mobility, and personal financial goals.

“You are making me feel more powerful with this new knowledge because I know I can change the lives of so many women with this.” – Project Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Komal was a participant in the IVLP Project Entrepreneurship as the Engine of Prosperity and Stability - Small Business Development in the Indo-Pacific organized by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Center.

Komal's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "People of the world face similar problems [the] world over and so there is so much to learn from different contexts."

U.S. Communities Visited

Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; Albuquerque, NM

Country: Pakistan

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