It’s interesting how 19-year-old Hasna Hasan’s constant efforts to associate with the cause of women empowerment over the last year have landed her an opportunity to be a part of a coveted student exchange leadership programme.
Hasna will soon be flying to the US to attend the ‘Study of the U.S. Institutes for Student Leaders’ initiative.
As part of the five-week programme, this youngster from St Mary’s College in Yousufguda will get the chance to interact with 19 other students from across the world. From the various sub-themes on offer, Hasna, obviously, opted for the ‘Women’s Leadership’ programme.
“I feel privileged to have got this opportunity. I know many people apply for the programme because it is an experience of a lifetime. It will be a productive time full of interactive activities, discussions, lectures, readings, site visits and workshops. We’ll also get to interact with American students and will get to involve in community service,” enthuses Hasna, a II year student of BA Mass Communication.
Notably, Hasna has also worked elaborately with NGOs like Street Cause and Amoomat Society and was a media coordinator for Wom-en’s Manifesto in New Delhi.
Talking about why she chose ‘Women’s Leadership’ as her subject over other options like ‘Environmental Issues’ and ‘Civic Engagement’ amongst others, she shares, “My aim is to empower women at the grass-roots level and that is what I’ve been trying to do through my associations with NGOs. And somewhere, women’s issues are an area I think I have an expertise in. It will be an experience that I will always cherish. I am really looking forward to it.”
And what does she hope to bring back home from the experience? “I have always been keen to look for ways to empower women at all levels. And I am hoping this programme will be a chance for me to explore a global strategy to tackle the issue. This will also be an opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals from across the world, and that will broaden my understanding and vision of the subject. This is crucial in dealing with any issue that is of such significance,” says the aspiring journalist.
Hasna, who also believes that she can become a bureaucrat too, signs off by saying: “I want to be a catalyst of change.”
