By Ayesha Saba

The Workers' Welfare Fund (WWF) disbursed Rs1.45 billion in educational scholarships and welfare grants during FY2025-26, while its collections reached a five-year high of Rs89.176 billion, according to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan.

The documents show that the fund's collections of Rs89.176 billion in FY2025-26 were the highest level recorded over the past five years. Collections have risen consistently from Rs13.584 billion in FY2021-22 to Rs50.347 billion in FY2022-23, Rs60.431 billion in FY2023-24, Rs81.876 billion in FY2024-25 and Rs89.176 billion in FY2025-26.

The documents show that although annual growth in collections moderated to 7% in FY2025-26, following increases of 35% in FY2024-25, 20% in FY2023-24 and 270% in FY2022-23, the fund continued to expand assistance for workers through education and welfare initiatives.

Educational scholarships accounted for the largest share of financial support during the year. WWF awarded scholarships in public and private educational institutions to 22,003 children of trans-provincial industrial workers at a total cost of Rs1.085 billion.

Under the scholarship programme, 15,030 students received under-matriculation scholarships involving an expenditure of Rs459.8 million, while 6,973 students benefited from post-matriculation scholarships worth Rs624.9 million.

Besides educational assistance, the fund provided welfare grants to 656 beneficiaries with a total financial support of Rs366 million.

Marriage grants accounted for the largest component of welfare assistance, benefiting 568 families with total disbursements of Rs270.4 million. Hajj assistance was extended to 68 workers at Rs78.2 million, while death grants of Rs17.4 million were provided to the families of 20 deceased workers.

According to the documents, the WWF currently provides benefits under five broad categories: housing, education, healthcare, welfare grants and Hajj assistance. While no healthcare institutions are presently operated by the fund, scholarships continue to be provided to the children of trans-provincial industrial workers studying in both public and private educational institutions across the country.

The documents state that outreach activities are also being carried out through factory visits, as well as social, print and electronic media, to increase awareness of the fund's welfare programmes and facilitate greater access for eligible workers and their families.

Credit: INP-WealthPk