“Thanks to the school and what it has done for me, I feel that I am changing the world for the better.”
“Thanks to the school and what it has done for me, I feel that I am changing the world for the better.”
For Nafisa Abdul Hamid, arriving at the Aga Khan Academy seemed to be a natural course of action after spending her early years at the Aga Khan Nursery. “It seems that I have been with the Academy my whole life,” says Nafisa. “I believe my parents chose the Academy, not just for the curriculum but because of its core values of ethics and pluralism. They want me to not only be knowledgeable but also a good person in life.”
Nafisa, a student of year 11 with a ready smile, feels that being at the Academy has shaped her destiny and guided her way in life. “The Academy has taught me to be open minded,” says Nafisa. “It’s not just about knowing what is in the textbook but using that knowledge in your life. You don’t leave it in the classroom; you take it with you and try to make the world a better place. At the Academy, they teach us to be balanced individuals.”
As the president of the Student’s Representative Council (SRC), Nafisa is humbled by the trust placed in her by the students. She describes the day she won the election as most rewarding. “That day I felt that the students really trusted and supported me. Whatever I do now, I think back to that day.” The SRC, which is fully supported by the administration, works hard to make student’s life at the campus easy and fun. They not only organize fun activities around holidays but also tackle some bigger issues. Nafisa and her fellow council members recently organized a youth empowerment conference for students where they educated them on issues like drugs, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, leadership, ethics, etc. “The administration is very receptive to us,” explains Nafisa. “They recognize the council and their role and in turn we are recognized by the students as a body that is heard.”
Nafisa enjoys the Sports and Recreation (SNR) sessions thoroughly. The entire community at the school is organized into four houses comprising of students and faculty members who come together once a day and participate in sports or recreation activities like music, debate, dance or other house events. Nafisa is in the yellow house and likes the interaction with her other team mates. “It’s remarkable to watch all of us come together in unity for a set of purpose,” says Nafisa. “At the Academy, your house is like your family.”
Nafisa is fascinated by three subjects: Business, History and English. “History and Business interest me because they are about global issues,” explains Nafisa. “English is about practicing my skills and opening my mind and my insides to what I am doing in life.” Nafisa particularly enjoys being in the class of the new teacher, Amy Brandon because she feels that the teacher really applies her values and the values of the Academy to the curriculum. “What really strikes me is that she uses culture and values to teach us, involving our passion for issues and linking it to what we are doing in the classroom.”
Experience at the Academy has also influenced Nafisa’s choice for future career. The Creativity, Action and Service (C.A.S) programme at the Academy helps students develop life skills through active participation in and reflection upon experiences gained through a variety of service projects. Nafisa is in the Model United Nations (UN) project. “We debate global issues and try to gain an understanding of what is happening in the world in the political, financial, and economic sector,” says Nafisa who feels that she is naturally being guided to her career choice through such dialogues as she has discovered her passion for global issues.
“In fifteen years, I would like to have studied political analysis and economic law,” says Nafisa. “I will use that knowledge to build a foundation for children and refugees. Those are individuals who are really neglected in the world. I will stand up for them and be there for them.”
Nafisa is inspired by Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the UN and feels that he did much for the organization and the world. “He came to Kenya and showed the world that problems aren’t best dealt with by war or violence,” says Nafisa. “He brings diplomacy into situations.”
Above all, it is Nafisa’s positive attitude that provides her the drive to excel. “Every second the world is bleeding – either someone is dying, disasters are occurring or wars are going on,” says Nafisa. “My motto is when I wake up I say to myself that I am going to use my positive energy to do positive things today. If you just wish someone well or offer a smile, your positive energy will erase all the negativity and the world will be a better place. It starts with one person, just one spark and it spreads like an epidemic.”
Nafisa attributes her positive outlook to the Academy. “Thanks to the school and what it has done for me, I feel that my experience at the Academy is preparing me to change the world for the better.”