Fellows

Asma Razaq has been working in both print and electronic media for the last six years. At present, she is working as a Reporter in Samaa Tv, Pakistan’s top news channel. At Samaa, her primary responsibilities include: the coverage of economic affairs including the Federal Board of Revenue, the Ministry of Finance, financial institutions, foreign investment and assistance to Pakistan, the Privatization Commission, and health issues. Earlier, she worked for Abbtak news channel for two years. She was also working in an English Daily ‘Business Recorder;’ the biggest financial daily in Pakistan, and the first such publication in the Muslim world. She worked for Daily Business Recorder for five years. One of Asma’s articles was included among the top stories of a New York-based website ‘www.tobacco.org;’ her stories exposed a pharmaceutical company that was selling an anti-hepatitis injection without conducting human tests. Asma’s news articles on health issues put pressure on the government to form a Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA) in Pakistan. Recently, her news package titled ‘IMF and Pakistan’ was widely appreciated and got national recognition, as well. Asma has worked with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a Coordinator. She had been nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan for the reporting tour on Global Food Security in the year 2011. She had also been selected as a participant of US-Pak Journalist Exchange Program-2014 by the East-West Center in Hawaii. During the program, she was selected as a guest in ‘Global Journalist,’ a popular radio program in Columbia.

Host Organization: Universities Allied for Essential Medicine

Role at Host Organization: “As the Media and Communications Fellow, Asma Razaq will support the creative development and implementation of a media and communications strategy for UAEM North America. This involves implementing the interactive new website design so it is usable to share media and foster communication work in building a more effective and efficient internal communication strategy.

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Born in a middle-class family in Karachi, Pakistan, Hira used to envy the life of bankers. The lavish branches chilled with ACs, shiny cars and home loans just for using computers all day. Wow! After completing the Intermediate, she got all excited to study chartered accountancy. Unfortunately, life had other plans and her family couldn’t arrange the fee. She got the talent farming scholarship, completed her business administration degree and won Gold. That’s where she found her Entrepreneurship gut. She was 18 when she started a business of organizing training on career-counseling. It failed and she entered into the corporate world (unwillingly). Writing has always been her passion, be it a personal diary, or an exam. The words flow as she takes out the pen. As her first internship, she stepped into the world of digital and started making social media strategies for them and her unique selling proposition was still her ‘words’. Tech industry embraced her talent like no other thing and she got recognized by many local and international companies because of her exceptional work. Fast forward to 5 years, she is currently a Tech Journalist writing for multiple top-tier tech publications including VentureBeat, TheNextWeb and Entrepreneur.com. She also heads blog and media for Coinschedule.com, a leading ICO listing the company in the UK. She is also the facilitator of Startup Weekend Karachi. In local sphere, Hira is famous has a tech evangelist and a public speaker involved in digital skills penetration and bringing inclusivity in the tech industry. She founded of a copywriting agency, Digital Doers and a closed community, Tech Geeks Pakistan where tech enthusiasts share their love for technology on one platform. She is also a certified Editor from IBA. Her website is www.hirasaeed.com

Host Organization: Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship

Role at Host Organization: Hira will work as a GSBI Women’s Economic Empowerment Fellow to implement new research, initiatives, and/or projects to help her host organizations advancement of women’s economic empowerment through GSBI programs and resources.

Humayun Nosheerwan is an international development professional, social entrepreneur, marketing and PR professional, social media activist, freelance photographer and artist. He has more than 8 years of dynamic work experience of handling different aspects related to nonprofit organizations and corporate sector. He holds a Master of Philosophy degree in International Development Studies from IQRA University, Islamabad and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with specialization in Marketing from International Islamic University, Islamabad.​ After graduating with a university degree in Business Management, Humayun co-founded and launched 4 business start-ups, in addition to several small-scale social entrepreneurship projects. Since early 2016, he has played a leadership role in Javan Jazba Foundation (JJF), a youth-led and youth-focused community based organization dedicated to creating a fairer and more empowered society. Javan Jazba, translated to”Passion of the Youth”, currently has more than 100 trained volunteers working with donors, partners, and elders of the local community to promote micro social entrepreneurship initiatives for youth empowerment. Apart from that, Humayun has multiple years of experience of working directly and raising awareness about some of the most critical and important issues facing Pakistan today, such as youth development, education, environment/ecology, economic development, and the role of art/music in promoting peace and understanding. Humayun is passionate to use his academic knowledge and work experience of business enterprise and nonprofit sector to promote social entrepreneurship in Pakistan and help bring a radical change in the country.

Host Organization: LearnLaunch

Role at Host Organization: Humayun will work in the growing sector of the education technology ecosystem, combining support for the accelerator program activities and development of a knowledge database that would enable scalable programing and resource deployment.

Masoora has four years of nonprofit experience. Most recently, she was a program development officer in education for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) where she played a key role in improving the quality of education in different areas of Pakistan. Previous jobs have included working at a nonprofit dedicated to ending child sexual abuse and as a volunteer in a global exchange program, both in a rural Pakistani village and in the UK. Masoora has conducted many sessions voluntarily to promote volunteerism in Pakistan and aims to bring a positive reputation of her country through mobilizing the youth leadership in Pakistan. Through these experiences, she has developed managerial and analytical skills, along with strong aptitude for planning, implementing and coordinating various projects. She has broad knowledge of community development, child rights, volunteer management and youth issues in Pakistan. Masoora holds a postgraduate degree in defense and strategic studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan.

Host Organization: Asian American LEAD

Muneeb Malik is as an operations manager and creative data analyst with expertise in project coordination, project management, and data analysis with over five years of experience within the development, non-profit and IT sector. He has earned a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Pakistan and completed his Masters in Structural Engineering and Business Management from Imperial College London, UK. As a Data Project Management Fellow with Center for Open Data Enterprise (CODE), Muneeb helps to manage and execute programs to apply data for the public good and support equity, specifically helping to manage the content and design of complex, large virtual convenings, as well as participating in convenings, helping to synthesize results, assisting in research and publication of narrative reports and digital resources, and otherwise supporting CODE’s Roundtables program. Muneeb has developed strong command at managing and coordinating projects for renewable energy, technology integration, sustainability, green construction practices and social development. He has also developed skills in data analysis and data visualization using smart tools and software for a variety of projects. Over the last two years, Muneeb has developed interactive dashboards and data reports for various public and private sector clients in the USA, such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). He has also been engaged with a USA based organization through its home office as a Junior Estimator Engineer. Muneeb believes in sustainable practices and green ventures linking technology and academia for prosperous development.

Host Organization: Center for Open Data Enterprise (CODE)

Role at Host Organization: As the Data Project Management Fellow, Muneeb will work with the Roundtables Program Manager and the CODE team to help manage and execute programs to apply data for the public good and support equity. The Fellow will help manage both the content and design of complex, large virtual convenings, participate in convenings and help synthesize the results, assist in research and the publication of narrative reports and digital resources, and support CODE’s Roundtables program in other ways. The Fellow will also help CODE demonstrate the power of data in addressing climate change, environmental injustice, and racial inequity, among other issues, while learning a state-of-the-art methodology for research and convening on these issues.

Sahar Zafar completed her Hons. degree in Liberal Arts in 2011 and has since been working closely with the education, media and humanitarian sectors. She has also worked as a Producer for a national news channel covering local current affairs, culture, and economic issues. She has experience in working with parliamentarians and has developed an in-depth analysis of key public policy issues. In 2015, she started working for Community World Service Asia as a Media Consultant and has gained experience in initiatives for the protection of social and political rights of religious minority groups and their equality. She has also worked as a Visual Media Specialist for a USAID Program, aiming to create awareness and generate support for the socio-political identity of vulnerable youth in South Punjab, Pakistan.

Host Organization: PICO California

Role at PICO California: At PICO California, Sahar will serve as a Communications Coordinator Fellow, providing internal artistic design and creating branding and marketing collateral for the organization. In her role, she will materialize the mission and vision of the organization while focusing on elevating the stories and prophetic witness of California’s leaders and clergy.

Shamila has five years of volunteering experience in profit/non-profit sectors. She is Co-Project director of a mobile-based Tele-healthcare project called “Jaroka” which aims to provide affordable and accessible health-care to the rural communities. She is also serving as a faculty member at National University of Sciences and Technologies (NUST), where she is heading a Social Entrepreneurship Club (NSEC). She is founder of a sustainable Environmental Buddy (paper recycling) project and has been awarded fellowship at Foundation of Youth Social Entrepreneurs for her achievements in social sector. She is an honorary member of Special Talent Exchange (STEP) program and help to arrange vocational training sessions for disabled people. She worked closely with Zindagi Trust and CDRS as a volunteer for fund-raising activities. She has done Masters in the field of IT from University of East London, UK.

Host Organization: International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children

Talha is a practiced marketing and communications professional with more than five years of experience in the non-profit and corporate sector. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from COMSATS Institute of Information Technology. Furthermore, he has 5 course certifications in Gamification, Screenwriting, Online Marketing Fundamentals, and English Composition from UPenn, Lahore University of Management Sciences, The Digital Garage and Duke University respectively. He is passionate about fighting social issues and ensuring the provision of education for the indigents. He is usually led by the purity of intent rather than the desirability of rewards which is why he got attached with social work at a very young age. Since 2012, he is a member of Message Welfare Trust which provides free education to destitute students and promotes safe blood donations. Professionally, he was recently working at one of the most notable educational networks in Pakistan, Beaconhouse Group, as the Head of New Media. He has previously worked for Ignite, an advertising agency, as Strategy Manager and a social enterprise, Artistan, as Marketing and Communications Specialist. Also, having worked at a number of companies in marketing and communication has enabled him to refine his skill set and become a seasoned resource in the field. Also, having worked at a number of companies in marketing and communication has enabled him to refine his skill set and become a seasoned resource in the field.

Host Organization: Building Excellent Schools

Role at Building Excellent Schools: At Building Excellent Schools (BES), Talha will be critical to the national rebrand of the organization. He will support the leadership team in gathering and analyzing industry trends to support strategic decisionmaking and liaise with leaders, funders, and key stakeholders to gain a greater understanding of the current landscape and future possibilities for BES.