Fellows

Abid is a mobilization, monitoring and evaluation professional, with five years of experience in the humanitarian and development sector of Pakistan. He holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur Sindh. Currently, he is working with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization as a Social Mobilization (Team Lead) and District Focal Person in the Human Security Project, funded by UNTFHS. He is engaged in field operations, implementation, and as a liaison to the government and other stakeholders. He helped more than 2000 male and female farmers gain access to their social rights and maintain good relations with their landowners by signing tenancy agreements, along with economic development through on-farm and off-farm activities. His tenure helped develop his leadership, project management, rapport building and monitoring and evaluation skills. Beyond his skills and professionalism, he is very interested in youth empowerment through education and social entrepreneurship activities. He has voluntarily organized many sessions at schools in his vicinity to raise awareness for future opportunities for youth in education and development sector. Abid is an adventurous person, who loves to explore famous places, cultures, meet different people and learn new languages.

Host Organization: Creative Associates International

Role at Host Organization: Abid will be supporting the Business Intelligence Function with research and analysis of the international development market to help inform strategic decisions. He will be conducting research on Creative’s competitors, partners, clients, and news sites to analyze where the market is and Creative’s advantages and potential opportunities.

A development professional with more than ten years of experience of working with public and private sector stakeholders particularly in the domain of public-private partnerships, skills development, counseling & placements, technological sophistication, labour market survey, institutional capacity building, and knowledge management for socio-economic development. Currently, working with Louis Berger on USAID Punjab Youth Workforce Development Project as a Lead for Placements, Partnerships, and Institutional Capacity Building. Ansa is providing strategic, technical & policy support, and advice on formulation and execution of capacity development initiatives for empowering vulnerable and marginalized youth; strengthening partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders at all administrative government tiers with an aim of improving accessibility, equity, and relevance of youth development services for sustainable socio-economic development. Previously, worked with GiZ as PPP Advisor and facilitated the Government and public-sector institutions in bridging the disconnect with private sector for demand-driven workforce development. Prior to that, served at Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Industries and Production, Government of Pakistan (GoP), for about eight years in multiple capacities, starting from a trainee metamorphosed into a Manager leading a team of four professionals. The sphere of responsibilities included orchestrating proposals and papers for the Government, multi-funding agencies, creating partnerships with bilateral/multilateral groups, corporate sector, and government bodies along with executing image building initiatives. Her educational pursuits involved an MPA from University of Punjab, Pakistan and a BBIT from Lahore College for Women University. The blend of classroom and on-job learning significantly inculcated leadership, cross-functional team work, effective communication skills, problem resolution, and resilience into her personality. She always has a balanced approach towards life, relishes her work as a development professional, and eager to mark herself as social entrepreneur contributing productively towards socio-economic melioration of local communities.

Host Organization: United Way Bay Area

Role of Host Organization: Ansa will enhance UWBA’s business partnerships work through research, data analysis and the creation of a strategic plan. She will work with the Equity Team to assess current activities of the business partnerships team as well as conduct research on best practices across the nation, including feasibility of expansion in the Bay Area and analyze our data.

Aziz Ullah has four year of experience in learning and development, entrepreneurship, business development and public speaking; working with non-profit and for profit both in private and public sector. He earned an MBA from National University of Modern Languages Pakistan, and B.Sc Civil Engineering from University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Pakistan. He is a certified trainer from School of Leadership Pakistan and has earned multiple
national and international certifications. As an Acumen fellow Pakistan, he is working on creating sustainable solutions to enable the graduates from unprivileged areas receive training, improve their entrepreneurial and employability skills to be socially and economically stable and live a better life. Aziz has for four years of experience as a Co-Founder and CEO for the Center for Awareness Training and Development Pakistan, which is a training and management consultancy working with public and private sector to develop market needs based skills in individuals and employees, promote entrepreneurship and build capacity of startups and entrepreneurs, and fill the skill gap between job sector and academia. As a trainer, learning and development profession, he helps people and organizations reach their goals and perform with greater impact. Aziz Ullah facilitates learning programs nationally and internationally for corporate, nonprofits, academia and youth to enrich their leadership values, employee efficiency, team performance and creativity and entrepreneurship skills. He has designed and delivered
professional training modules & courses for 30 + local, national and international organizations during the past four years and has facilitated more than two hundreds learning programs, workshops and training conferences. Aziz has akeen interest is working with non-profit and for profit sector on promoting and developing entrepreneurial ecosystem, capacity building of graduates, startups, entrepreneurs and employees to help organization and individual be more effective, more efficient and more productive in creating greater impact with the work they do.

Host Organization: The Resolution Project

Role at Host Organization: Aziz will learn about and map Resolution’s 100 existing social entrepreneurship ecosystem partners (known as Pathway Partners) and plan a new activation framework for Pathway Partners through a public-facing online platform.

Talha has four years of experience working in the nonprofit sector and has expertise in using technology for social impact. He has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology in Lahore, Pakistan. While working with Chanan Development Association, he developed and implemented a digital strategy to optimize multiple projects in the sectors of sexual and reproductive health and rights, democracy and HIV/AIDS. He has also developed websites and mobile apps in the healthcare, medical, utilities and lifestyle sectors. He is passionate about solving world problems using technology and he has accomplished this by starting ibjects.com, a digital agency that leverages technology for social impact and innovation. He also co-founded and managed projects like Cafe Entrepreneurship, which engages young people to use technology in the development of solutions that can solve social issues of Pakistan.

Host Organization: Points of Light

Role at Host Organization: Talha will develop and manage a digital marketing and optimization strategy for the Points of Light Civic Accelerator (CivicX) program. He will further develop digital optimization skills and have the opportunity to implement strategy and create recommendations for senior program staff.

Ehsan is a sustainability enthusiast with a masters in Sustainability (Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management) from the University of Nottingham, UK. He holds a Bachelors in Environmental Sciences from Pakistan and has completed an exchange semester at SUNY Plattsburgh USA with mention on the Dean’s list. Ehsan shoots for the stars and is constantly thinking about new methods to generate effective engagement opportunities for the 1.8 billion global youth, rethinking the global Agenda 2030 of ‘leaving no one behind’. He has served as a youth member on UNDP’s panel for development of National Human Development Report 2016 in Pakistan and has been involved in over six social development projects in Pakistan in different capacities during his work at NUR Foundation for 3 years. He currently works as Technical Services Manager at Punjab Public Health Agency, Pakistan. He is also the module convenor for developing minimum viable product course at Startup School, MIT Enterprise Forum, Pakistan. Ehsan has also co-founded a social enterprise called, the Green Box; it is a youth led global think tank aiming to contribute towards creating routine attitudes, values and actions for sustainable development. The world is committed to achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals by the year 2030. Through Green Box, he wants to ensure that people acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, global citizenship, and appreciation of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. He plans to do this all in a very unconventional manner.

Host Organization: International Youth Foundation

Role at Host Organization: Ehsan will work collaboratively with YouthActionNet team to support research and learning content development as well as the co-design of a new global initiative. He will gain a deeper understanding of the global social entrepreneurship, youth-led civil society, and youth advocacy sectors in addition to supporting a new global initiative focused on engaging the next generation of young people in demanding and delivering Sustainable Development Goals.

Freeha Ihsan has six years of experience in the nonprofit and education sector. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from Fatima Jinnah Women University in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. To tweak her skills further, Freeha obtained her Master of Science with a specialization in management. She has developed expertise in project management, training and development, education, and economic empowerment. Most of her experience is based on projects specially design for underserved communities of Pakistan. As a Program Officer for the USAID funded education and economic empowerment for women project, she proved herself as a valuable team member because of her effective project management and communication skills. She also worked at the Parliament of Pakistan, on projects funded by the British Council & European Union, and with different universities as an educationist. Freeha has collaborated with diverse people, including elected leaders, bureaucrats, and people from underserved communities. Freeha is enthusiastic to help people, and she is always infatuated with opportunities to go out of her comfort zone.

Host Organization: Women’s World Banking

Role at Host Organization: Freeha will join the Women’s World Banking Strategy & Market Solutions teams. She will deliver solutions for the organization and its network member institutions concerning an array of microfinance initiatives including: credit, savings, youth products, financial education and microinsurance.

Hafsah Sarfraz is a development communication professional and a freelance journalist from Islamabad, Pakistan. She has a seven-year experience of journalism has covered social issues, women’s and children issues, education, life & style, and art & culture extensively for leading English newspapers of Pakistan. Hafsah has also reported for The Express Tribune, partner of The International New York Times. As a communications professional, she has worked for USAID’s Public Outreach and Communication Activity for M&C Saatchi World Services, a global London based advertising firm. Through this experience, she developed strong communication skills, storytelling, and digital media skills. She was awarded for her continued resourcefulness, proactive teamwork to highlight USAID’s work through storytelling using print publications and digital media. She has also led the communications for USAID Advancing Girls’ Education and Skills at World Learning, an international nonprofit organization that focuses on international development, education, and exchange programs. Hafsah is a graduate of the Queen Mary University of London. She is a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum. Hafsah likes to travel, tell stories, photograph and indulge in delicious food.

Host Organization: Cultural Vistas

Role at Cultural Vistas At Cultural Vistas, Hafsah will execute integrated communications and PR initiatives that raise public awareness of the organization’s exchange programs. She will work with the Senior Director of External Affairs to implement publicity and thought leadership campaigns designed to highlight Cultural Vistas’ role in helping shape the future of work and promote the annual awards gala in New York.

Huma has over six years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector, having worked to fight against poverty, hunger and illiteracy in her country. She earned her last degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Management Sciences. Huma has worked as an Assistant Project Coordinator for a UNWFP funded project which provided food assistance to the FATA region of her country. Previously, she worked for a UNODC funded project that helped provide health assistance to drug users in the province’s female prisons. Through her professional career, Huma acquired highly praised leadership, humanitarian-based research and communication skills. Huma also has an unbeatable command over her technical and report preparation skills. Easily commanding cameras and laptops, Huma’s dream is to improve the quality of education in Pakistan by providing employment opportunities to the youth and empowering Pakistani women.

Host Organization: Halcyon

Role in Host Organization: Huma will work alongside the Director to help manage projects including the Halcyon Dialogue, Incubator Intensive and Halcyon’s scoping for international expansion of its social enterprise incubator. She will lead on several components of these programs, maintaining connections with external partners, and representing Halcyon in various scenarios.