With a network of over 1,400 leaders from 115 countries, the Atlas Corps Community is growing every day. It is time to look back and to showcase the achievements of amazing network and share stories on the global impact of our Alumni, Fellows, and Scholars.

Today we speak with Atlas Corps Scholar Ali (Cohort 6, Pakistan) from our Virtual Leadership Institute. Ali is the Economics Advisor at Save the Children, an international nongovernmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid.

Ali, we are grateful for your impressive work towards inclusive communities in Pakistan. Thank you for sharing with us your global impact, as well as your personal and professional growth. We wish you the best with this impactful work!


Name: Ali Zafar

Home Country: Pakistan

Current Organization: Save the Children

Role at current organization: Economics Advisor

Social Issues that you have worked with: No poverty, Zero hunger, Gender equality

Tell us about projects you have worked on?

I ensure that for every program and project that Save the Children implements in all its work, Value for Money is achieved. I work with program teams to understand the impact of every dollar spent and how we can improve our work by ensuring that most of it goes to people in need.

Why is it important for you to work towards inclusive communities?

I believe that in order to bring a fundamental change in how the world operates it is important to bring a change in the way social challenges of our times are addressed. For this change to persist, it is important that it should be led by individuals so that it can serve as an example for others. And to achieve this change there is a need to create an inclusive and well-informed community around these people where the new principles of equality and equity can be practiced, preached and nurtured. I believe in this change to occur and that’s why my work on social issues is important to me.

How has Atlas Corps contributed to your professional and personal accomplishments?

I believe that the Virtual Leadership Institute offers a very well-rounded, participatory, and thorough experience of how social leadership should be approached. The Atlas Corps Virtual Leadership Institute program has not only enabled me to carve out my journey an an empathetic social leader but it has also shown me how to become a better person.

What advice do you have for applicants and current Scholars?

I recommend you to really immerse yourself into the program. Make the best use of your time during this wonderful journey by engaging with your fellow Scholars, reflecting upon your previous experiences while attempting assignments and work, and thinking about how to navigate your leadership journey while listening to inspirational talks and webinars. I would say be the change by changing yourself and there is no better platform to do that than at Atlas Corps.

What message would you like to send to individuals who support Atlas Corps?

Your support goes leaps and bounds beyond the Atlas Corps. It reaches out to the confused, enthusiastic, young social leaders who are guided towards the right path and through them to millions of underprivileged individuals who get the most out right social leadership.


Celebrate Atlas Corps Bonus Day! Donations matched on July 20!

Support Atlas Corps and empower our global community of changemakers who possess the training, skills, and network to solve the world’s most pressing issues. Make a Bonus Day Gift: On July 20th starting at 9 am ET, donations $100+ are matched! Will you #BuildBridges with Atlas Corps?


Photos from Ali’s personal archive