Be it the supremely powerful America or the dilemma-plagued African states, it is primarily the youth of a nation that forms a concrete bedrock for the achievement and prosperity of a nation. The reins to turn the country around rest with none other than the strong hands of its young generation – its young blood.
The same goes for our beloved motherland, Pakistan.
Pakistan along with its envious strategic location and a plethora of natural resources possesses another exceedingly important resource, a resource that is oozing with power and determination and overflowing with ambitions to make Pakistan a better place to breathe in. The human resource of Pakistan.
Now let’s take a brief trip to the past. Over the last 64 years of independence, Pakistan has duly witnessed the results of young blood boiling within its youth. With worth appreciating youngsters who have succeeded in taking Pakistan to a newer level altogether, victories were made.
Battles conquered. Dreams fulfilled. Stars touched. Skies reached.
Given the fragile state of the nation today, one wonders if the Pakistani youth is doing enough for their mother country. Are they fulfilling the responsibility of taking Pakistan forward?
With this question in mind, I researched for a couple of days, emailed tens of people, particularly youth icons and university students, interviewed some and finally came across some inspiring individuals with admirable endeavors to steer their home country onto the way of advancement.
Keeping in mind the dire need of education, we have the Sooch Welfare Organization, which educates and grooms underprivileged children and provides them with an environment that could mould them into enhanced citizens.
The Sooch team at work – Photo courtesy Sooch Welfare Organization
When the president of Sooch, Rabbiya Abdullah was questioned about how Sooch came into existence, she said that they always noticed people who didn’t even have the basics around themselves and became drawn towards helping the less privileged. However, they desired to do something more permanent than giving a beggar a few rupees and sending him away.
Initially they started with raising money to feed people on a daily basis but then decided that instead of giving a man a fish a day and creating more dependency, “we should teach them how to fish which led us into focusing more on education and teaching the children that lived in the squatter camps around our campus.”
Moreover, she stated that, “what we are aiming at, is to help those around us develop an ability to think independently.”
Apart from Sooch, Pakistan is proud to have college students such as Mohsin Rasheed Memon whose brainchild is Nixor Hospital. The hospital’s vision is to positively change the healthcare infrastructure of Pakistan while its mission is to provide medical assistance to more than 15,000 patients each year.
Volunteers of Nixor Hospital cater to the patients in their clinic in Gizri, Karachi. – Photo courtesy Nixor Hospital
In the course of the last two years, the students have raised more than two million rupees and have given medical assistance to more than 6,000 patients with the help of eight medical camps in Sindh and a clinic at Gizri in Karachi.
Mohsin said, “I am very proud of not only telling the figures and the number of camps, but of saying that everything is done by the youth of Pakistan.”
Providing healthcare services is just one aspect of this NGO that they are accomplishing, but there is a hidden achievement too that nobody actually notices; it is the ray of hope shining on the faces of these underprivileged people who were once devoid of hope.
At the moment, the social project is led by Muhammed Kabeer Jadoon who is working hard to enhance the health conditions of his fellow Pakistanis.
Moreover, Justuju Welfare Organization is another youth led NGO which deals with the education system of Pakistan and plans to revolutionize the education in the country by bringing all the schools to an equal platform, changing the ideology that has dwelt in the minds of people regarding education and providing equal opportunities for quality education to all strata of the society along with uplifting the government schools to the level of the private schools.
“If there is a will, there is a way.” The Justuju team has made this ideology their mission.
Mohsin Rasheed along with the students taught by the Justuju Welfare Organisation.
Currently Justuju has adopted some schools in Gizri, Karachi. It is providing training to the existing teachers and also bringing in new instructors.
Furthermore, when the prominent anchor Faisal Qureshi was asked about his thoughts on how Pakistan can be a successful state, he only believed in one philosophy – better yourself and Pakistan will be a better place. Be morally and socially alive and Pakistan’s condition would improve within “less than 24 hours.”
In his exact words, he said “
Haq baat bolo, Haq baat karo!”
Moving on, the renowned band, Strings’ member Bilal Maqsood opined that the youth’s potential is gigantic and that the youth needed to make the most out of their opportunities. Moreover, he urged the young blood of Pakistan to develop “a positive attitude, cling on to the strong thread of hope and to rise against the tide.”
Moving on, he also advised the youth to stay out of politics and instead channel their energy into effectively utilising their education for Pakistan’s progress.
Interestingly, singer, philanthropist and the President of Zindagi Trust Shehzad Roy had the opposing viewpoint. Roy believes that the state can be recovered if, “the youth gets involved in politics as it is the youth only which can truly bring about a positive change in the society.”
With massive talent sprouting out of the Pakistani soil and uncountable potential-fountains streaming from every nook and corner of Pakistan, how can Pakistan possibly not reach out for the epitome of accomplishment?
Nixor Hospital’s motto is “Our People, Our Responsibility!” If today, each and every Pakistani youngster gradually transitions from “My Neighborhood, My Responsibility!” to “My City, My Responsibility!” to “My Country, My Responsibility!”, then how can Pakistan possibly not be one of the most developed countries in the world?
* Ayeza Sumsam interned at Dawn.com
