Sajida Raza, from Chitral in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, completed her medical degree in November 2019. Chitral only has hospitals in very few places, so access to quality healthcare can be limited and it is often cut off from the rest of the world for months during winter.

Regarding her ambitions, she says, “I want to improve medical care for my isolated village, and I also want to guide other female students.”

Her training will prepare her both for the needs of a traditional hospital setting as well as for the practicalities of delivering medical care in the mountainous areas of Pakistan. She is now on a Surgery rotation at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. The coming months will see her move to her Medicine rotation, the service that is dealing with COVID-19 patients, where she will be thrust on the front lines of helping very ill patients afflicted by COVID-19.

Providing Sajida the opportunity to follow her dreams will have a profoundly deep and lasting impact. For the often-isolated and underserved people of northern Pakistan, having full-time doctors will significantly improve health care, enhance support to nurses and village health workers and help reduce mortality and morbidity. It will also help reduce the cost and inconvenience of travelling to far-away big cities for emergency care.

Nilufar is from Khorog, Tajikistan and completed her Bachelor’s in International Management at the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland and completed a very successful internship with Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

After working briefly in Poland with CWT, she is currently working in New York, gaining valuable business experience. Nilufar’s future goals are to go on to pursue a Master’s degree and aims to open medical clinics for children with special needs in Khorog and elsewhere in Tajikistan. There are very few clinics that are of good quality and reputation available. She is hoping to bring significant change in terms of acceptance of mental illness to her community and other communities in Tajikistan.

Zena Khadour from Salamieh, Syria is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Integrated Science at York University in Canada. She was part of the World of Difference Program at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ontario, where she completed her last two years of high school. She finished third in her graduating class in June 2020.

Zena received the 2020 York Science Scholar Award Scholarship, and was 1 of 40 students accepted into York University’s Integrated Science Program.

Zena aspires to contribute to human knowledge through research and experimentation, specifically in neuroscience. She is interested in the effects of changes in the environment, especially in the last 50 years, on our brains and behaviour, particularly in areas such as war zones that have been intensively exposed to dangerous chemical reactions. In this way, she hopes to improve the lives of the girls and women who have lived through the war in Syria—and the lives of their future children. While Zena’s career goals are fluid, she is committed to using science to make the world a better place to live in.

In her spare time Zena is a volunteer translator for TED international, translating videos from English to Arabic to ensure they can reach a wider audience.

Binazir Mizrobova from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, graduated from high school with excellent grades and decided to take up French in France and completed her undergraduate degree in History from the Sorbonne. With the help of the Spark of Hope Foundation, she was also able to complete a Master’s in History and Development Studies at the Sorbonne.

She hopes her passion for history and international relations will lead her to work for NGOs focused on historic cities and culture in order to preserve historic heritage in Central Asia. She believes she can be a valuable asset to organizations such as the United Nations, with her fluency in Russian, English, Farsi, Italian and French and the language of the Pamirs. Through her own experiences and struggles to get good higher education, she also has a vision to one day create an organization that will help Pamirian students pursue their dreams of obtaining higher education, despite all the challenges they face.

Binazir is currently working as a financial analyst in the banking sector.

Hangoma Khodododova is from Khorog, Tajikistan and completed her Bachelor’s in Economics with an emphasis in tourism business management at University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszow, Poland.

After a post-graduate internship, she is now working as a Business Travel Consultant with Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Poland. Hangoma hopes to start a travel agency in Tajikistan whereby she can encourage many more young women to get an education and empower themselves to escape the cycle of poverty through informed business ventures, especially in the tourism sector.

“This scholarship has helped me achieve what seemed impossible at the time: before receiving aid from Spark and Hope Foundation I was planning to skip my studies and return to Skardu, Northern Pakistan, due to severe financial constraints. Instead, I was able to complete my M.Ed. from AKU-IED with distinction with a very high GPA (i.e. 3.80).

My education has assisted me in great ways so far: the knowledge and skills I acquired from AKU-IED are the main drivers of where I am now. It has not only helped me in my professional career but also contributed to my personal life—I have become more confident and independent. My education has opened new doors for me and provided me with immense opportunities and experiences.

My main motivation to pursue my Master’s at AKU-IED even after marriage and having a child was so that I could support my son in the near future and for his lifetime. I knew that higher education would help my family become stronger financially and more independent. I’m now able to financially support my aged parents and my son.

I am now working as a health education and nutrition officer at health department in Skardu, where I work directly with the community. My job helps me serve my community regarding their health issues by providing awareness on curative and preventive approaches. I know I can make a great difference in the lives of people by helping them improve their lifestyles and dietary habits.

Looking to the future, I hope to complete a PhD in Education so I can help improve the curriculum at the national level by including instruction in basic life skills, e.g. healthy eating habits, healthy lifestyle, diseases, hygiene. The solution to many problems lies in education, and I see myself in campaigns and projects to create awareness regarding the importance of education and health in society in the next few years.”

“When I was in high school my main goal was to apply to an international university and continue my studies in the field of social sciences. For a year all I could think about was the admission process to various institutions, which culminated in ultimate happiness with the admission letters I received. When I arrived at university feeling like I had achieved my dream, the reason for my stress changed. Now, thoughts about the financial burden that my parents had to carry often distracted me from my studies. Receiving the Spark of Hope Foundation scholarship allows me to focus on my academics and contribute to the development of the world in different ways.

First, focusing on my studies will help me develop expertise in the field of Communications and Media and use it as a tool to make changes in society. As this field is underdeveloped and not valued highly in my country, a solid academic background will allow me to contribute to its improvement and make it more accessible for youth. Moreover, I believe that everything we see, read, or hear from media sources in our daily life shapes our worldview and consequently affects the steps we take. Competent use of media platforms will give people access to information, draw their attention to important issues, and inspire them to make changes.

Second, I have always believed that a good education is the key to the sustainable development of not only one’s own life or country, but the whole world. Being passionate about community service, I always try to help others, be it teaching kids, leading events, organizing fundraisers or camps. Sharing my knowledge and experience with others and hearing that it is useful for them is one of the most important achievements for me. That’s why I’m sure that the more I learn myself the more I can share with others. Moreover, with the Spark of Hope scholarship I will not have to search for a paid internship or part-time jobs on my breaks. Instead, I will be able to volunteer in my community or find internships that do not pay but provide a good learning experience.

Studying at an international university was my goal for a long time until the thoughts of my expenses started bothering me. The main privilege that this scholarship gives me is the chance to fully concentrate on my studies and not worry about tuition fees. Consequently, it provides me an opportunity to become an expert in Communications and Media and use my knowledge to make positive changes in society.”

“This scholarship helped me complete my Master’s degree and is now helping me achieve my doctorate degree by reducing my stress of financial deficiency and focusing my time on research work. I believe, to make a positive impact on the world, we need to start from within our society. I am from Nepal where most of the women either give up their job or studies after their marriage, if not after the birth of a child.

My work focuses on the removal of pollutants and contaminants from soil and water using wetland plants and its social acceptability. This technique, known as phytoremediation, can be one of the best tools to decontaminate the contaminated sites. The surface water in Nepal is mostly polluted by domestic waste and industries. This research study can be useful to remove the pollutants and contaminants from the soil-water ecosystem In Nepal.

After I finish my studies, I see myself working as a research scientist in Nepal for the bioremediation treatment of polluted water and soil. When this happens, I will be motivating a lot of women to focus on their career even after marriage or having a baby. This will be the most important positive impact for me as a woman from a developing country.”

Zuhal Suhrob from Khorog, Tajikistan is entering her final year of her B.A. in International Development Studies at York University in Canada. She graduated high school from the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya. She hopes to contribute to the social development of Tajikistan as well as other surrounding Central Asian countries by empowering more female youth to pursue their education.

After her undergraduate studies at York University, she is determined to pursue her Master’s in Education and Public Policy so she can help reform the education system in Tajikistan. Her goal is to help build schools for girls in those parts of the world where girls are denied their right to an education. She hopes to encourage girls to stand up for themselves instead of being forced to get married at a young age and become housebound.

Alaa Zidane from Syria graduated from high school with excellent grades and decided to take up Architecture at Hama University, which was close to her home in Syria, in order to complement her skills in art and design. She subsequently received admission at Ryerson University in Toronto for a four-year BSc in Architectural Science, which she began in 2018.

She has found her passion in design work and hopes to one day become instrumental in the rebuilding of her community and country. Her goal is to help rebuild the infrastructure for essential service buildings in order that communities do not lack basic infrastructure when rebuilding occurs after the war in Syria has ended.

“What our community needs is highly motivated and professional leaders, and I hope to become one of tomorrow’s leaders. I want to help not just my country, but make a positive impact on the world and future generations.

I’ve always had a passion for the sciences, which led me to majoring in Bioinformatics. We study biology while using computer programming as part of our methodology, which I hope to apply to solving environmental problems. One of my challenges in my course of study is unfamiliarity with the new scientific terms we use, but thanks to the financial support I have, I can spend that necessary extra time in the library and IT lab and ensure my success.

Being away from home for my studies has helped me develop responsibility and independence. I’m a member of the choir and have my first real job teaching at the English language centre.

After my undergraduate degree, I hope to pursue a Master’s degree and conduct scientific research. I also hope to be a role model for women to pursue higher education, especially in S.T.E.M. fields.”

“As a child, I had always dreamt of studying abroad and getting a good education. However, I knew this would be difficult after my father passed away and my mother raised me and my younger brother by herself. After completing my bachelor’s degree in international relations, I was accepted into a master’s program at the University of Yildirim Beyazit in Turkey. The Spark of Hope Foundation scholarship helped alleviate the financial burden and allowed me to focus on my studies and my career.

During my studies in Turkey, I learned how important it is to help those who need help, and helping others brings me inner peace and happiness. Upon completing my studies, I want to return to my home country and start an organization in Tajikistan that will help women to boost their confidence and improve their potential, as well as help them find their voice in society and play an active role in the development of the country.”

Lala Boronieva from Dushanbe, Tajikistan is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Business Administration at Trent University in Canada. She was part of the World of Difference Program at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ontario, where she completed her last two years of high school. She was self-taught in English before she arrived in Canada, and graduated high school with Honours in June 2019.

Lala hopes to contribute to the economic development of Tajikistan and other developing countries by empowering and enabling female youth to pursue business and entrepreneurship. Her goal is to open learning centres in developing and post-war countries that help women and girls develop their entrepreneurial skills, as well as empower them to start their own businesses. She aspires to change the face of the business community and the lives of millions of women around the world.

“Cameroonian by origin, I have been involved for 16 years in protecting the environment through the promotion of reforestation. From my first year of training at the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences of the University of Dschang (Cameroon), I created the Association of Agricultural Engineering Students of Menoua subdivision. The first activity we carried out was the setting up of a nursery of Terminalia mentali (ornamental shrub) which we then transplanted into the various districts of the subdivision for the beautification of the city.

After obtaining my engineering degree, I was integrated into the Cameroonian civil service and assigned to the Garoua Wildlife School where I still teach today. I was the first woman to teach in this unique institution in Francophone Africa.

After the creation of the Association of Women Agricultural Engineers (ACAFIA) in the North Cameroon region, many activities were carried out on my initiative. Our main mission is to strengthen the role of women in environmental protection. The achievement of this mission requires involvement in environmental projects through awareness raising and training in rural women’s associations, schools, high schools and colleges. In addition to the other projects currently being implemented, ACAFIA has trained women in the North Cameroon region, an ecologically fragile area, to use improved stoves (consuming very little firewood) for cooking meals. Every June 5th, competitions are held in high schools and colleges on topics related to environmental protection and the participation of young girls is always encouraged.

The financial resources available for my PhD in Forest Sciences at Université Laval were insufficient and constituted a major handicap to the conduct of my field research. The SoHF scholarship came at the right time, because it protected me from the financial stress without which I would never have completed my thesis.

Women play a crucial role in the management and conservation of resources. Unfortunately, in African societies and especially in North Cameroon, women are often excluded. My challenge, without offending traditions, is to empower women in the protection of natural resources, which includes planting trees, developing income-generating activities, efficient consumption of wood energy, etc. My dearest wish is to sensitize and train as many women as possible in North Cameroon in the creation of shea plantations and other woody species as a means of reducing poverty and contributing to fight climate change.

Today my struggle is to combat desertification in Cameroon as a whole. Certainly, there is still a long way to go, but I want to be the “Wangari Maathai” of Cameroon.”

“My education has strongly contributed to my professional development and confidence as an educator. Through the Masters of Education programme at the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), I have learned a lot about educational theories and practices, curriculum development as well as professional assessments. Now regarded as an educated woman, I have been extended opportunities that I otherwise would not have had. For example, I received an opportunity to work in a competitive institution that is contributing to my intellectual growth as well as improving my economic status. I now feel like a valued and dignified member of my society, someone intellectually capable and financially secure and independent.

I had to take a loan to further my education as I wanted to undertake M.Ed. studies at Aga Khan University. The loan from the university was a lot of money particularly for my family, and it created a lot of stress and tension at home, as well as fear of how we were going to repay it. This scholarship provided hope and encouragement to my family. It also provided a sense of ease and comfort by halving the loan amount I owed. This allowed me to continue my studies by decreasing the burden on me and my family, and I am thankful and grateful that I managed to successfully complete my studies.

My educational development has significantly contributed towards improving the quality of life of my family. I am now a role model at home, someone who is applying the ethics of honesty, humility and generosity in their daily life as well as the pursuit of knowledge to live a balanced and sustainable life. I am most proud of having the opportunity to pursue a route of quality education to help uplift my family.

In my community in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, I am embraced as a “change agent” and role model. I am one of the first women from my community to receive a well-respected higher education and I have laid down a milestone for other girls and women in our society. I have demonstrated that the pursuit of higher education, particularly for girls and women, is possible. I’ve helped motivate the leadership in my community as well as parents to encourage their girls, even if they are poor, to strive for more and pursue education and learning opportunities. Now, more than 30 girls from my small village are studying in different universities and pursuing careers to better serve their communities. I am confident that collectively, our education will make a significant impact on generations to come.”

“The Spark of Hope Foundation has not only supported me financially but more importantly, has helped me discover my potential. By mentoring me throughout the different stages in my career path, from helping me figure out which university to attend for my postgraduate studies to securing significant scholarships and financial assistance at Carleton University to guiding me through the visa application process, to connecting me with professionals to guide me though my career goals, the Foundation has been an integral part in every success through my academic studies and now my career.

My education prepared me well for a smooth transition from university in Lebanon to graduate school in Canada to a consulting career by providing me with the skills necessary to succeed.

My engineering degree with a specialization in Mechanical Engineering prepared me well for work in sustainable energy. The six years I spent pursuing both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies have opened many opportunities for me to pursue a rewarding career.

I am currently a Strategy Consultant at FTI Consulting in Toronto, in the strategy construction practice, where I provide quantum and risk analysis to assist companies deliver capital projects on budget and schedule.

I want to become a major player in my team at a senior level, boldly setting directions for companies. Women are underrepresented in this role. I want to be more involved in organizations that support women from an earlier age in North America and in my home country of Palestine to help them set clear goals for their future. By sharing my story, I hope to inspire them and help more young women dream bigger and achieve the impossible.”

“Being an educationist and a teacher, I love my profession. I believe that I can play a significant role in shaping the lives of students and that teachers can act as change agents in society. Pursuing my Master of Education at AKU-IED was a dream that became a reality because this scholarship enabled me to complete my studies.

The Master’s program was a great opportunity for me to learn new knowledge and skills from different professionals. Whereas previously I was unable to deliver my content to students in an effective way due to lack of pedagogical knowledge, I can now convey my ideas to learners effectively. This platform also gave me an opportunity to enrich my content knowledge and gave me insight about different teaching strategies.

This scholarship provided me the ability to complete my education without me or my family being financially burdened. Having completed my degree, I’m applying my pedagogical knowledge in my field and have already received a promotion. I also conduct workshops for teachers to impart my new knowledge and help them improve their teaching.

To educate and shape the life of even a single student is a great achievement. Therefore, I will continue to play a role to facilitate students in getting educated. I now have the opportunity to impact the lives of many students over my career.”

“The scholarship from the Spark of Hope Foundation helped fund my Master of Science in Geomatics from Université Laval, which has helped expand my professional horizons.

In addition to my prior studies in architecture, this Master’s degree helped strengthen my knowledge in sustainable development, especially how land surveyors can contribute to sustainable development. It has also given me the opportunity to conduct a research project in its entirety, setting the stage for my career in consulting.

Going forward, I can provide advisory and certification services related to land surveying and sustainable development. Thanks to the support from the scholarship, I am now a self-employed practitioner and a great asset for my family. Since completing my studies, I have launched O’dev, an advisory firm focusing on sustainable development in architecture and urban planning projects in Quebec.

Within the next five years, I plan to work closely within the context of developing countries to help promote and implement best practices in urban planning that coincide with sustainable development practices when creating or redesigning new neighborhoods.”

“My education has given me the confidence and tools I need to give back to my community and create an impact. It has given me the power to be independent and the means to support my family.

Since completing my degree, I have started working in clinical research at the department of Cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I am also currently working on my residency application and will be applying to Internal Medicine residency programs.

In ten years, I hope to have completed my residency and fellowship training and opened my own clinic. I see myself being more involved in non-profit organizations and charities that aim to improve the lives of children around the world and to support organizations fighting climate change.

I hope to be more active on the ground and be a voice for minority groups facing injustice. I hope to inspire more people around me to stand up and speak up against inequality and discrimination. I also hope to inspire my community to volunteer more of their time and efforts to support those who are less fortunate.”

“Starting my professional career at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), I became more aware about development projects not being inclusive of all genders. In addition, I saw economic rights being denied to people in general and vulnerable communities in particular.

At HRCP, I also initiated and co-authored a fact-finding mission in Chitral to understand the alarming rate of suicides and assess the social and economic factors leading to the shrinking of a community that already faces the threat
of extinction.

Currently, I am working with Accelerate Prosperity (AP), which is a new global initiative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) – an international NGO that works in areas where economic opportunities remain insufficient for youth and women in rural and semi-rural areas. We do this by developing more formal structures to catalyze enterprises within AKDN’s main area development programs. AP aims to support and catalyze sustainable small and growing businesses through its incubation and acceleration programs.

While at AP, I help facilitate the creation of Small and Growing Businesses (SGB), which are commercially viable businesses, to create jobs for local residents that are innovative and have an impact on society. The aim is to contribute to inclusive economic development by catalyzing SGBs, promoting entrepreneurship amongst women and youth, and creating space and networks to facilitate technical expertise and creative financial solutions that can bridge the gaps between entrepreneurs, investors, governments and donors.

I intend to create evidence-based practices on youth and gender engagement in Pakistan. Evidence-based practices will convince AKDN and the government to include youth and gender development programmes in the long-term project of AKDN, Impact Investing Initiative, a programme with which I am currently associated. For this purpose, I will capitalize on the already established professional relationships that I have developed with local community entrepreneurs, the Ministry of Information Technology, and other relevant stakeholders.

My ultimate goal is to work at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a policy maker who makes data-driven policy, based on best practices.”

“I am from a small family consisting of my mother, brother, and I. It was almost impossible to afford higher level education. However, I had several jobs to earn enough money to cover tuition fees and living expenses, and I managed to fund other educational expenses with the help of the Spark of Hope Foundation.

All the skills and knowledge that I got from my academic journey helped me to become a young professional. As a result, after graduation during the pandemic, I received several job offers from international organizations.
Now, I am an independent young woman from Central Asia, able to financially support myself and my family.

The experiences that I had through my educational journey paved the way for me eventually labeling myself a feminist. In fact, once I started to notice just how much society oppresses women, the women’s empowerment movement became more and more attractive to me.

During my studies, I had several internships and work experiences at international organizations such as DFID, USAID, PeaceNexus Foundation and UN Women as a consultant and program assistant. Currently, I am working as a conference assistant and SMM specialist at the American Councils of International Education in the Kyrgyz Republic.

In the coming years, I plan to explore opportunities in S.T.E.M. fields, and to that end, I plan to start learning programming languages soon and finding internship opportunities. Later, I may consider undertaking a Master’s degree in Data Science or Econometrics.

I would like to be a role model for girls and young women from Central Asia. One day, I would like to establish my own educational scholarship foundation for women in Central Asia.”