Family in Strangers

by Fatima Usman (Pakistan)

A leap into the unknown USA

“I tried attempting suicide. You know what that is?” Puzzled. That’s what I had felt. Not because an 11 year old me could not comprehend what my best friend had told me, but rather why she would do such a thing. As a child, I loved puzzles. I spent hours on them, trying to put all the individual pieces in the right places yet somehow at that moment, I felt like a wrong piece had fit perfectly in a spot and would end up ruining the overall picture. So I laid down my next pieces very carefully, one by one, so I wouldn’t make such a mistake. “Lekin kyun (but why)?” I asked slowly, feeling myself treading on uncharted territory. She shrugged, monotonously, like it was a common occurrence – making me even more nervous. That day I had cried and begged her to not do it. I knew I couldn’t do much yet I remember guiding her towards our school’s basketball court and writing down a list of reasons why she matters. It was a small gesture yet it created an impact. An impact I didn’t even realize I could have made until five years later when she had messaged me, “You’re the reason I kept going. Thank you.” It was the same year I had come back from the Eleanor Roosevelt Leadership Program in the United States of America. You see, Pakistan is a country that faces a wide array of social, economic and managerial problems. Amongst them, corruption, mismanagement of resources and poor health facilities are considered of utmost importance by the government. In the effort to resolve these issues, other problems are often left unattended. Their significance shrinks in comparison to these major problems and it becomes easy to ignore the small matters. However, by doing so, these problems do not recede. Instead, they grow bigger and bigger until it is no longer easy for the government to cast them aside and remain oblivious to them. The problem of not educating young girls is one of them. I was fortunate enough to be chosen from a vast majority of 700 girls to represent my country on an international level through the US Summer Sisters Exchange Program 2017, a program which allows young dynamic female individuals of Pakistan to become part of a once in a lifetime opportunity by attending a short summer course in United States. There I attended multitudinous workshops varying from Public Speaking to Human Rights through Art. Different workshops that aimed to shape us girls into the female leaders of tomorrow. My favourite activity was one called ‘Visible Diversity’ where girls were divided into groups and asked to build a tower having been given the resources. However, each member of the group was given a physical disability, for example, one could not speak, one could not use their hands and one could not see. Through this, we learnt how it was to be different and to be understanding of those who are. We understood the power and privilege we have and how to be co-operative towards those who do not. Aside from the professional expertise I got by visiting the United Nations and GLAMOUR magazine for their Girl Project, I confronted some of my biggest fears in a place where I felt secure. I found a family in a group of strangers. A family who stood by each other as we laughed and cried and shared our stories. The diverse environment made me realize multitudinous things about myself. Things I would not have been aware of had I not gone to this program. Things that changed my life forever. Two weeks. That was all it took for me to have a different outlook on life. I went there, an introverted girl afraid to speak her mind and came out stronger, more independent than I’ve ever been. The program taught me to face challenges bravely, follow my passions unapologetically and dream freely. I had come back as a changed and empowered woman and I knew I had to give back what I had learnt. Not just to inspire others but to be to someone what I wish I had when I was a child.