Pari Bano
Project Coordinator

Pari Bano leads the Agah Walidain team in Gilgit and Ghizer. She is responsible to plan, implement and evaluate the project besides conducting parents sessions/training, community mobilization, capacity building of the staff members and producing material for parents sessions. Having worked with various organizations of international repute, she has vast experience of Community Mobilization and Teachers Trainings. She brings seven years of rich experience from organizations such as NRSP, AKESP, MIED, Right To Play and FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance. In a post-earthquake project in Kashmir, she contributed to School Improvement program and Early Childhood Care for Development (ECCD). She holds master degree in Sociology, and is currently pursuing a diploma in ECD from Pakistan Montessori Council (PMC). She hails from Altit, Hunza.

Shamila
Family Support Motivator

Shamila works with the Agah Walidain Project as Family Support Motivator (FSM). She is responsible for daily home visits, maintenance of children portfolios besides facilitating opens sessions, and parent sessions. She was involved with athe Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) before joining the RF family. She has been part of research, baseline surveys, and community mobilization activities. Shamila holds a Masters degree in social work from Karachi University. Hailing from Ghizar (Singul), she is very much committed towards creating a congenial nourishing environment for children in early years. In this way, she intends to contribute towards the development of Gilgit Baltistan.

Laila Jabeen
Family Support Motivator

Since the inception of Agah Walidain, Laila has been involved as Family Support Motivator (FSM), in Gilgit office. She is responsible for conducting open sessions, daily home visits , parents sessions, updating children’s portfolios, maintaining daily records, producing regular reports, and developing case studies. Before, she worked with Karakorum Area Development Organization (KADO) as Social Mobilizer for around two years. She has completed her research work on Role of AKRSP towards Socio Economic Empowerment of Women in Northern Areas (now Gilgit-Baltistan). She holds a Masters degree in Sociology from Karachi University. Laila is a committed and energetic young lady with great potentials. She belongs to Gojal valley (Upper HUNZA).

Sharez Khan
Family Support Motivator

Based in the Gitch center of Aga Walidain Program, Sheraz Khan is responsible for academic as well as administrative matters of the center. His major responsibilities include: conducting parent session, open session, sessions for pregnant mothers, family home visits, and also sessions for grandmothers and grandfathers. He has also worked intensively on developing Low Cost No Cost materials. He brings eight years of rich experience where he worked as teacher and ECD resource person. He has earned a Certificate course from the Institute of Educational Development (IED), Aga Khan University, Karachi. He holds Bachelor degree form Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU). He is known across the board as a hardworking, committed and innovative team member. Shiraz belongs to Golodas of Ghizer district.

Nadia Parveen
Family Support Motivator

Nadia is associated with Agah Walidin (Infromed Parents) Rupani Foundation as Family Support Motivator. She is responsible for facilitating sessions for mother and children in open session, arranging and conducting parents sessions, visiting homes of parents with first child, and maintaining daily records. She has worked with Aga Khan University Department of Community Health Science (CHS) as data collector in “Assessment of the immunization status of the children age 12 to 23 months. She has also worked with project of UNICEF during her attachment with AKU. Having a Masters degree in Sociology, Nadia belongs to Singual valley Puniyal Ghizer.

Irshad Ullah Baig
Assistant Admin and Finance Officer

Irshad the team in September 2009 and brought good strength to the center in terms of its administrative and financial activities which were initially carried out by the Project Director. His major responsibilities are maintaining subsidy accounts i.e., receipts, payments, banking, and submission of all financial reports to the country office. In addition he is also responsible for managing transportation for the staff as well as project beneficiaries. He is also helpful in troubleshooting of IT related matters. Before joining the RF family, Irshad was engaged with The Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) as Intern. He holds B.Com degree from KIU, and currently he is doing MBA from the KIU, he belongs to Rahimabad Gilgit.

Amanullah Aman
Program Manager

Aman, is a self made person from the remotest Shimshal valley of Gilgit-Baltistan. The first generation educated person from his family, Aman had strong passion to learn which kept him striving for higher education despite the fact that he had to opt for jobs being the eldest son. Aman holds a B.Ed and International Graduate certificate in teaching. Aman brings rich array of experience to the project from Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan, Mountain Institute of Educational Development (MIED) Mansehra, Pakistan, Health Net TPO and AKDN-MERP. He has also been to Afghanistan twice as consultant for short term environmental education programs in 2007 and 2008. Aman is teacher and poet by birth but manager by practice; he has interests in photography, studying history and visit to historical places.

Muhammad Akram Zai
Assistant Program Manager

Born and raised in Hyderabad, Sindh; Akram graduated from the same locality and taught O’ Levels for five years in Beacon House School System. Meanwhile he continued his academic endeavors culminating into an M.Ed degree from University of Sindh. With the desire to enhance his skills in educational planning and management, Akram joined the Aga Khan Education Service Pakistan and served as Community Development Officer. In the year 2008, Akram was indicted in Project Umeed as Assistant Project Manager which brought new dimensions to his professional experience. Akram has a firm commitment and dedication to take this project further and in his view, this will be a great contribution if he is able replicate this experience in other parts of Sindh where communities are in dire need.

Neelofar Ali
Montessori Administrator

Neelofar Ali has received a Masters in Sociology and a diploma from AMI (Association Montessori Internationale), as well as ECED training from AKU-IED (Aga Khan University) in 2003 and an Inclusive education in 2005. She was employed at the Mehnaz Fatima Montessori School in Gilgit where she was responsible for the overall planning, management and training of teachers. In 2006, she moved to Karachi where she worked for the Teacher Training Institute as a principal and teacher trainer. She joined Rupani Foundation in 2010 and is passionate about making an impact and playing a role in the empowerment of women and alleviation of poverty.

Asima Qudrat Shah
Accountant

Asima was born and raised in Gilgit-Baltistan. She completed her schooling from Aga Khan Diamond Jubilee School and graduated from Govt Degree College Gilgit. In 2007, she attained her M.B.A (Finance) from Karakoram International University, Gilgit. She has got experience of internships with the first Microfinance Bank Gahkuch and has also worked as Research Assistant in the project of International Labor Organization (ILO). Asima has also worked for Aga Khan Higher Secondary School Gahkuch as Finance Assistant and was also part of the research team of the Aga Khan University Department of Pediatrics &Child Health Care in the project of VI Based vaccine for Asia (VIVA).

Farhan Ali
Office Assistant and Driver

Farhan was born and raised in Hyderabad where he completed his matriculation from a private school and attended Govt Sachal Sarmast College for his intermediate education. He has been associated with Umeed since its inception and has developed his capacity beyond that of a typical driver. During his tenure he has learned various skills and, as such, has been promoted to handle additional responsibilities, including purchasing and procurement. Becoming a father recently, Farhan appreciates the impact that Umeed makes and is thankful for the knowledge he has gained that will influence the development of his daughter. Previously, like many others, he was completely unknown to the fact that parents have a crucial role to play in paving a pathway to success for their own child.