IRM Smart STEP is a women-focused initiative designed to empower marginalized women from urban slums and underserved rural communities across Pakistan. The programme supports women who are often overlooked, including widows with dependent children, orphans, destitute women, women with disabilities, and those living in extreme poverty.

Smart STEP provides quality vocational training along with entrepreneurial and essential life skills to help women achieve economic independence and support their families with dignity. IRM believes that investing in women is both the right and the smart path to breaking cycles of poverty and building resilient communities.

The programme strengthens women’s agency, participation, and access to sustainable livelihoods, enabling them to better withstand economic shocks and contribute meaningfully to society.