Roshni Bajis – The first female electricians in Pakistan

In October 2019, GuarantCo provided a USD 50 million dual currency guarantee backed loan for K-Electric to support Aerial Bundled Cable roll-out and smart grid solutions in Karachi.  The roll-out of the ABC insulated cables will decrease theft and safety related risks. In Pakistan, almost a fifth of electricity generated is lost during the transmission and distribution to consumers, due to issues such as, poor infrastructure, faulty metering and theft.

GuarantCo, with a grant from PIDG Technical Assistance, co-financed the safety awareness campaign of K-Electric to promote electrical safety through the Roshni Baji programme which trains female electricians.  They act as K-Electric ambassadors to raise awareness within underprivileged communities concerning electrical safety threats which directly impact the dwellers, specifically women and children.  

The pilot project involved training 100 women to spread awareness on safety, and converting consumers from unsafe, illegal electricity connections to safer, legal connections.  To date, the Roshni Bajis have reached around 463,000 households on safety awareness and turned around 6,900 illegal connections into legal ones providing a safer environment for people in Karachi. These women are the first certified female electricians in Pakistan. The programme has helped to break down gender barriers, making the Roshni Bajiis more independent through the provision of skills training.