For me personally, every new year is more than a reset or a new set of goals, but an opportunity to recommit to the girls and communities As We Rise serve, and to the ideas that first inspired our work. As we step into this year, I am especially excited to share our launch and growth of our Storytelling Initiative, a project that brings together creativity, confidence, and community in powerful ways. This initiative is deeply personal. It is inspired by a storytelling project

It’s said that reading somebody’s writing is the closest thing one can achieve to telepathy. The transference of thoughts from mind to paper and the act of sharing these thoughts is intimate, and uniquely human. It's this concept that leads to my newest subject: Pakistani and Middle Eastern authors. From what I have seen, Pakistan is a place where education has been given and taken away like candy, and when growing up in a place like that I think it's important to have a good

This month, I lost my grandfather, my Nana, whose life, love, and unwavering belief in women’s potential shaped not only who I am, but the very heart of the As We Rise Foundation. My Nana greeted the world with a smile that never dimmed or wavered except when he saw others upset at one another, with a laugh that would sometimes be the response to his own. He carried an unquenched wonder and insatiable curiosity that reminded all of us to keep learning, keep growing, and keep

There’s not a doubt in my mind that education is one of humanity’s most crucial virtues. The ability to pursue knowledge is important. A...

Opinion Piece: The Duality of Anger & Hope: Why Faith in a Better Future is the Key to Making Change  I believe that the message of hope...

There are some moments in life that feel almost too big for words. Our very first Founder’s Day at the As We Rise School in Muridke was one of them. When I first arrived, the school was buzzing with excitement. The teachers and principal had organized an entire day of festivities, a tour of the classrooms, student performances, speeches, and you could feel the energy the moment you stepped through the gates, welcomed with roses that were thrown onto my mother and I. Walking

If I could choose one figure to talk to, without a doubt, I’d choose Amal Clooney. Not only does she inspire me in a multitude of ways,...

How the death of Mahsa Amini has connected women globally.

Hello everyone, Belsem, here. I wanted to give you an update and although we are not a published website yet nor a 501(c)3, I am working...

Hello everyone! It's been quite a while since I wrote my last blog. Currently, the wonderful team members of As We Rise Foundation have...

A poem written on August 14, 2020 for Pakistan's Independence Day.

An introduction into the emergence of As We Rise Foundation and its importance.