Natalia Saeed left Pakistan to start a life in Australia more than a decade ago. A proud member of both communities, she wants to serve her life for the betterment and development of poor nations. She was recently awarded an award by Murdoch University. SBS Urdu got an opportunity to talk to her, and she was kind enough to share her inspiring story in this written piece as well.
Tell us about yourself?
I moved to Australia almost 12 years ago with my family from Karachi, one of the worlds most overcrowded cities. Landing in Perth, an eerily quiet town, took some adjusting! However, I believe we live for new experiences. We have our entire lives to be comfortable, therefore to begin all over again has a special attraction to it – this allowed me to settle in quite easily in my new home.
I have been working full-time for the last five years in the State Government of Western Australia. I am always looking to challenge myself and therefore enrolled in the Master of Development Studies at Murdoch University. It has always been my passion to work in the international development sector and my degree has helped open doors for me both professionally and personally.
Tell us about your achievement?
I recently won the Vice Chancellor’s Student Development Award which will help me in attending a Summer School program in Prague in July 2016 called New Development Cooperation: Breaking the Chains of Poverty.
Winning this award is a great honour for me as my hard work is being recognised by the University and it has further motivated me to continue working towards my passion of ending world poverty through participatory development. I was attracted to this program because five per cent of the program fees will go towards a self-sustaining kindergarten school located in Kibera slum in Nairobhi, Kenya.
As a Pakistani-Australian is it my duty to work towards the betterment of both the countries and their people – especially Pakistan as it is still a developing nation
How did you get here?
To get anywhere – applying for a job, university, scholarship or volunteer work, you essentially need to brag about yourself (i.e. your achievements)! I find this difficult, but I learnt the hard way that one needs to do this in order to get somewhere. Last year I won an Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) WA student bursary, which is for students who wish to study or undertake research in Asia. Not many people know about this because my attitude was ‘its not a big deal’. However, after winning the Vice Chancellor’s Award and receiving humbling support from friends, family and the wider community I learnt that I need to talk more about my achievements. The AIIA award allowed me to travel to Cambodia to work on a Humanitarian Design Summit with Engineers Without Borders Australia, gaining hands-on experience on how community development projects are making use of new technologies.
I am also volunteering with the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY) core working group for World Humanitarian Summit and Habitat III. Currently I am finalising the concept note for Pakistan Urban Youth Forum. UNMGCY is another experience that has opened opportunities for me. I travelled to Doha last year as a facilitator for the Global Youth Consultation for the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS), leading discussions on key themes of the WHS, which formed the youth recommendations, to be presented at the first WHS in Turkey later this year.
You have made the whole Pakistani community proud. How do you feel about it?
I am quite honoured and humbled to receive such a positive response from the Pakistan community. This is will only keep me going towards my goals. In future I plan to go Pakistan and work in the development sector. I believe it is important to be connected to your roots – be it through religion, cultural practices, language or food – as they make you who you are today. I also believe that as a Pakistani-Australian is it my duty to work towards the betterment of both the countries and their people – especially Pakistan as it is still a developing nation.
My professional and personal ethos is resonated in George Bernard Shaw’s words: “…I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can…” and I hope this will be reflected by my work.
Any word advice for the readers?
Do not be afraid to dream big. That is the one thing you can do without judgement. From personal experience it is important to have a mentor; someone who can guide you personally and professionally. Take a gap year and travel/volunteer. It is important to experience different cultures and the world as it opens your mind before deciding on a career pathway. Do not be afraid of making mistakes – it is how you will learn and grow as a person. Lastly, remember it takes one person to change the world. If you help even one person I truly believe you have made a difference.
