Talented Gilgit girl makes it to London School of Economics

Munira Shaheen, a brilliant student, seems to have set an example that movers and shakers can emerge from the grassroots level by striving sincerely and passionately for the set goal. Belonging to Daynor, a backward village of Gilgit, Munira has won the LSE Master’s Award 2012-13 for MSc in anthropology and development from the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science. Munira who is currently doing her Masters in Project Management (MPM) from Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Islamabad campus, was selected for the programme on the basis of her brilliant academic record and services at the community level for promotion of education. Belonging to a poor family, Munira Shaheen faced great hardships in getting education as her parents could not afford the expenses. In spite of all hardships, she managed to complete her bachelor degree while simultaneously teaching poor children of her backward village. Munira then joined an NGO in her region and continued working in more organised manner to promote education and raise awareness among the illiterate community members. “Things are now changing as people are realising vitality of education and sending their children to school,” she said. Her job with the NGO enabled Munira to pursue a master’s degree at SZABIST. “While surfing internet one day, I came across the LSE award which I applied for online and after the due process of evaluation and assessment, I got selected on merit,” she said. She urged the youth to never lose hope and continue struggling with determination.