SOL TEAM
By Aqsa Hussain.
For "Inspiring Youth" section this month, Youth Magazine has decided to bring its readers up close with the team of dedicated, young, significant and talented youngsters from SoL (School of Leadership), who not only have achieved a lot at this young age but are also working for the youth of Pakistan. All of them are working in their capacities to bring about positive thinking in Pakistani Youth and all they say is ,"If your vision is clear enough and your belief strong enough,
then achieving your dreams is just a formality. A.C.H.I.E.V.E it".
According to them, the youth desires for better advice on career, and all they need is correct direction. Once they're directed properly, they will end up reaching the sky of success
We reached SoL and were greeted ‘youthfully’ by its team. We were there with brilliant young, individuals and felt energetic to interview them. This was no typical interview, but a different one, that radiated spark, energy and light.
The Youth first approached Talha Iqbal
What's your designation here?
Talha (Confidently) - Young Leader: CEO - Leadership series.
Youth: How did you get in here?
Talha (very thoughtfully) – No matter what goes wrong but eventually everything does fall into its place. I remember back in 2002, I attended Young Leaders Conference, and amazingly realized about it. I said to myself, ‘This is it.’
I didn't think of any reason to attend it, but I was convinced about it. Perhaps, I had seen a poster at school, but miraculously I ended up here. You know what? When you're on your way to accomplishing goals and milestones, you come on fire, and the most powerful thing on this earth is human soul on fire. I attended the conference and fell in love with it. I was a typical bookworm then. In 2004, after completing my A-Levels, I started interning with the organization and this is where I’m now.
Youth: How has it all been, Talha?
Talha – Smiling. It has been a "wow"
Youth: You guys have this great exposure and on regular basis you interact with our youth for one program or another. What are the things you've found amazing in our Youth?
Talha - I believe our Youth has everything that can take them to heights. Believe me, everything! It's just the mindset, which has to turn towards a positive direction. The thing is, we never accentuate positive, but we always accentuate negative. We ought to attract positive. The challenges young people face these days are harder and challenging than the ones our parents faced. I think the more demands and constraints you have, the better is your performance.
Youth: Unfortunately there are class differences in our society; lower, middle, and elite. Which one of them you found more enthusiastic during your workshops and work?
Talha – Everyone is enthusiastic. Classes and differences are on how much money and influence you have. All men are of the same kind and everyone has the same amount of potential. If they get sufficient amount of learning, learning which suits their style, they'll do equally well.
Urooj also joined in the conversation to answer this important question.
Urooj - We don't discriminate. Everyone you see, almost everyone has potential and all are enthusiastic. All they need is positive mindset. Once they have it, they'll end up doing wonders.
Urooj Mazhar is a great individual with a very cute smile and loving personality; she tries her best to make you feel at ease while talking to her. One can find the true spirit of professionalism in her. Urooj has been given Youth Icon award by World Population Fund (WPF), which is in Islamabad.
Youth: What's your academic qualification and how did you join SoL?
Urooj (smiling brightly) - I graduated from IBM in 2005 with an MBA in Marketing and I wanted to pursue a corporate career. However, fate brought me here. I attended a conference in Thailand by UNDP on leadership in October 2005. I have also led the team for Beyond Beauty conference in February 2006. I really love my work here and it's an amazing experience. I hardly have time for other interests.
Youth: What according to you are the shortcomings in our youth?
Urooj - As I said earlier, it's all about having a positive mindset. Most of our youngsters find it bad to be recognized as Pakistanis. They actually ought to believe in themselves and trust their own capabilities, which will ultimately take them to heights.
Youth: What project are you working on these days?
Urooj - I'm currently working on a project “Extra-Corp”, which is basically all about empowering the physically and mentally challenged youth.
The conversation was turning out to be like a group discussion. And it became apparent that young blood brings fresh change to everything.
Youth: Have ever come across any criticism so far?
Talha (straightforwardly)- No.
Youth: What about Pakistan's image being negatively portrayed by media?
Talha - Basically the thing is we "Pakistanis" make our own image, our own perception. Most of youngsters don't feel proud about being Pakistanis. We ought to feel good about our country, ourselves and believe me "WOW" will happen.
The Youth then turned towards Shumaila Amin, a fun loving girl, who has been selected for the Oxfam International Youth Partnerships 2007 to 2010 and thus represented Pakistan at their youth meeting named “Kaleidoscope 2007” which took place in Sydney, Australia in October 2007.
She is currently working as an Associate for Leadership Series.
Youth: What's your academic qualification and how did you get in here?
Shumaila - I am a recent graduate from University of Karachi with a degree in Business Studies. Having attended YLC in 2006, I knew about School of Leadership and their work. After graduation I thought of taking a break from studies and it was then, when I heard about vacancy, applied for it and hence, finally got selected. I'm working with them and we're like family.
Youth: Are you a trainer?
Shumaila – No, I am not, but I'm attending TTYT, “Train The Young Trainers”, which is basically a training program to train young leaders. After doing that, yes I'll be a trainer InshaAllah.
Youth: Were you this much confident enough right from your childhood?
Shumaila (laughed) - I have been rebellious right from my childhood. I didn't want to live the way others do. I wanted to have my own identity and style rather than adopting someone else's. Normally people here are unable to accept the idea of someone who isn't exactly like them because the idea disturbs them and makes them question whether they're right. However, I simply believe on having my own views on everything and of course; I'm entitled to have them. Yeah, respecting everyone else's point of view comes in priority as well.
Youth: If you're given an opportunity to play one of your favourite character, which character whould it be?
Shumaila - It would be the character of “Fatima Jinnah” in “Jinnah se Quaid”. I simply admire the ladies who worked really hard with great leadership skills and have made their own identity in history.
SoL focuses on developing leadership among youth of our country. The Youth could not resist asking what these people thought of a Leader.
Youth: What according to you is the definition of a Leader?
Talha - It's not that if you have follower ship or you can command then you can be called as a leader. Everyone in his or her own capacity is a leader. You're a leader; you're leading your life. Manager is a leader too because he manages.
Shumaila - Well, It's not that if someone has a follower ship or has an influence over people is a leader. I mean if a person guides you or suggests you, he's a leader. Everyone's a leader. It's just that you've to treat people as if they were what they ought to be and just help them to become what they are capable of being. Everyone is capable of achieving anything. And yes, leader is the one who instead of following has this ability to set up new rules and follow them and make others follow as well.
Youth: One criticism that comes your way is in your workshops you people just talk, highlight the importance of leadership and other important things related to it, and take your own way.
Talha(very passionately) - The reason what I’m doing is just because of the "batein", the talks. There must have been something in those talks, which kept me here with all my sincerity. It's just a "baat"(talk) at the very beginning; it further has to be translated into implementation. You see, "Uexcel" started off with an idea. We thought young people can't afford it and there is a problem in accessibility so why not involve some sponsor and go to universities. It was just an idea and it did translate into it. It was all about redirecting and reshaping youngsters' lives and bring them into the process of developing healthy economy.
The Youth then focused on Sana Nizamani who is a YLC Champ. She is also a trainer and has worked with various government and private organizations.
YLC (Young Leaders Conference), which is held every year, is a gathering of young leaders aged 18 to 24 from all over the world.
Youth: Hey Sana, tell is something about YLC Champ?
Sana (calmly) - Champ is a person who basically runs every program regarding Young Leaders Conference. Everything has to be executed properly. Prime responsibility is to design and run everything. The champ has to take care of everything, from designing to fund-raising. For me it's an amazing learning experience. Every year there's a new person running it.
Youth: Let our young leaders know about how to be a part of YLC?
Sana - What you do is visit our site first and register yourself. By doing that we'll have your database saved. We'll contact you then. Also visit our financial page on YLC site, it will tell you about raising funds if you're unable to pay conference amount. You can contact different companies for sponsorships as well. It's a very interesting process and you'll end up learning a lot.
Youth: How can one be a part of SoL?
Sana – Well, while running any project if a project leader feels the need of some volunteer to work for him, he informs office members and can pick from them. Incase, if everyone's busy we announce it on either the site or email and contact the ones who contacted us before and showed a desire to work for SoL. For one month s/he voluntarily works for SoL. On the basis of their performance then, we call them for a job interview.
Youth: How has your experience been working under dynamic leadership of Shireen Naqvi?
Shumaila – It has been great. Shireen apa values an idea. There's no concept of strong or weak idea. It's just an idea, which she values and works to make it a success.
Youth: Any message to Youth?
Talha – Accentuate positive and you'll do wonders. Young people are so much valuable and our work is of great responsibility. We say, "Change has to happen and it will"!
Shumaila - Youth in our society has a lot of potential and passion, all they need is direction. If all of us as young people decide to make a positive impact on the society in our own individual capacities, then I believe we can take our country to great heights!
The team at SoL has accomplished themselves as bright and talented individuals who are contributing to our ailing society. The best part is that they do not wish to stop here and want to involve more and more people so that a chain of change unfolds.
We wish them best of luck.
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