The most meaningful moments of my fellowship were reading the stories of HDF students from diverse regions, who, in their own words, expressed how their lives have been transformed by HDFs schools and scholarships. Many of these children, coming from underprivileged backgrounds and sometimes working as laborers themselves, are a living testament to the life-altering power of education. Learning how lives—and by extension, communities—are uplifted through access to quality education was deeply moving.

My recent fellowship with the American Pakistan Foundation (APF) gave me a unique opportunity to collaborate with Sehat Kahani, a telemedicine platform addressing the healthcare needs of underserved communities in Pakistan. My project, titled Utilization and Barriers of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Afghan Refugees in Pakistan, aimed to explore the healthcare challenges faced by Afghan refugees, particularly concerning sexual and reproductive health (SRH). This experience not only allowed me to conduct meaningful research but also provided deep insights into systemic healthcare challenges and the importance of innovative solutions.

Pakistan is often defined as a low-middle income country (LMIC) that suffers from poor infrastructure, high poverty rates, political instability, and extreme levels of income inequality. When these factors are left untreated, they contribute to the development of a weak healthcare system that leaves a significant portion of the population unable to access reliable healthcare services.

As someone deeply involved in healthcare innovation, I’ve had the privilege of working on projects that push the boundaries of how care is delivered in underserved communities. One project that has particularly resonated with me is Sehat Kahani's e-clinical model. This initiative is transforming healthcare in Pakistan by leveraging telemedicine to empower Community Health Workers (CHWs) and provide quality medical services to those who need it most.

I was selected this summer to serve as an APF Fellow at the Stimson Center’s South Asia Program. As someone who had just completed a master’s in journalism from Columbia University, immersing myself in the think tank world was not just a novel experience, but an eye-opening one where I learned so much about security issues in South Asia and how they affect the day-to-day minutiae of ordinary citizens.

Reproductive health is a fundamental human right that provides women the freedom to enjoy life, liberty, healthcare, privacy, and non-discrimination. It is an unfortunate truth that women in Pakistan are denied these basic rights.

Aside from functional growth, I had the opportunity to learn and engage with climate change leaders directly, contributing to my own personal growth.

A woman in Pakistan, a woman in the United States. Why is it that healthcare outcomes are so strikingly dissimilar when comparing both groups?

I worked on a case study to investigate telemedicine services through mobile units during flood emergencies and how these services improve health outcomes, reduce mortality rates, and enhance healthcare system resilience in disaster-affected areas.

By the end of our APF fellowship, we had stepped outside of our comfort zones, flexed our academic and professional muscles, and emerged with substantial work products and experiences that will no doubt propel us forward in our careers.

APF Fellow Zayna Ahmed worked with telemedicine startup Sehat Kahani to conduct research and analysis on COVID-19 patients and telemedicine in Pakistan.

APF Fellow Shariq Farooqi discusses how his APF Fellowship at the Atlantic Council think tank transformed him professionally and personally.

APF Fellow Farva Batool studied the psychological impact of the pandemic on Pakistan’s healthcare providers.