US consul general commemorates poverty day in Larkana

 

KARACHI: To emphasise strong ties between the United States and people of Sindh, US Consul General Grace Shelton travelled to Larkana October 19 where she commemorated the International Day for Eradication of Poverty, as per a statement.

Shelton commemorated the day with a group of 50 English Access Scholarship students at the Lincoln Corner in Larkana’s Shahnawaz Bhutto Public Library. She and the students marked the occasion by discussing this year’s theme, 'A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies'.

The English Access Scholarship programme provides language training to youth between ages of 13 and 20, coming from low-income background, so that their employment and educational prospects are improved.

 

The consul general also paid respects on behalf of the people and government of her country at the tomb of former prime ministers Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto.

“The Bhutto family embodied the ethic of public service and the terrible sacrifices that service sometimes demands," Shelton said on the occasion. "We are inspired to persevere in the face of terrorism, and to fulfil the dream of a Pakistan that is peaceful, prosperous and democratic.”

She also visited a US-funded rural health center (RHC) that specialises in maternal and child health care, which is provided to the community free of charge. The RHC is one of 28 facilities the US supports in Larkana. In the past three years, US assistance funding has supported three hospitals in Sindh and helped train thousands of medical professionals working in the area.

The US government is also constructing more than 100 modern schools in Sindh to increase student enrolment, with a special focus on bringing back children who have dropped out of school.

During her visit, the consul general met business and political leaders from Larkana to exchange views on trade and investment and on US-Pakistan cooperation.

“I was greatly pleased to be back in this beautiful district and see first-hand many lives that have been touched by the relationship between Pakistan and the US," she said, speaking about her time in Larkana. "Health and education are keys to a brighter future, and it is immensely rewarding to see how our work with the Sindh government in these fields has improved the lives of so many.”