Journey Of Hope - Fall 2018 Journey of Hope 2018 | Page 11

hoping to pay my own way by working. After
much time and many heartfelt requests, she
allowed me to go.
I contacted the kindly hostel warden for
whom I worked in Gilgit City, sharing my
whole story with her. She told me that in
the hostel, there are students who receive
scholarships from an NGO called Central
Asia Institute Gilgit (CAIG). She said this
NGO supports female students of the remote
valleys of Gilgit and Chitral. This news gave
me hope, as my own home valley of Phandar
is especially remote, and perhaps this NGO
would see fit to support me.
I made the five-hour journey to Gilgit with
the permission and support of my mother
and uncle, and 500 PK rupees ($4 USD) in
my pocket. The hostel warden greeted me
with a smile, and took me to the Central Asia
Institute Gilgit office. There, we met with
their finance manager, Karim Uddin, and
CEO, Saidullah Baig. Saidullah said, “We
are supporting hundreds of girls in their
education here in these valleys. How is it
you have not yet applied for a scholarship?”
FALL 2018
He asked about my story, listening to me
with a kind and patient heart. And then
CAIG agreed to support my education,
with a scholarship covering my college and
hostel fees.
This scholarship gives me strength, vision,
and confidence. And it gives me the finan-
cial support I can no longer receive from my
dear, late father. I no longer have to work
while studying, and can focus on getting
good grades in school.
I dream of becoming a teacher after
graduating. Many schools in my area lack
female teachers. It would be especially
meaningful for me to serve in a CAIG
school as a volunteer teacher. I am so
thankful to everyone who supports me and
other poor girls in our education. CAIG has
opened schools in remote valleys where
young women who live in poverty dream of
education. They are bringing true change to
the high mountains of Gilgit and Chitral.
I learned that donors from the U.S.
are supporting CAIG’s scholarship
programs here in Pakistan. I owe
many thanks to the kind donors who see
the importance of educating the poor in
Pakistan, including Gilgiti girls like me.
I pray for the individual donors who
support CAI: may God give you
good health and happiness in your
families. The slogan “Educate a Girl.
Change the World.” means so much
to me. No doubt if we educate all mothers
and girls, we can bring change to the world.
I love poetry, and want to share with you
a line written by the national poet of
Pakistan, Allama Iqbal. “You don’t get fright-
ened of these furious, violent winds, Oh Eagle!
These blow only to make you fly higher.”
I am sure Iqbal said this for the struggling
people like me.
Thank you very much.
Shabnam
See what Shabnam is up to now:
CentralAsiaInstitute.org/shabnam
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