Imagine scrolling through social media, excited to connect with friends, only to be bombarded with creepy messages or worrying about your information being stolen. This fear is a reality for many Pakistani women online. However, Bilal Farooq Khan, an alumnus with a purpose, is on a mission to change that. His recent Alumni Small Grant project, WISE (Women’s Internet Safety and Empowerment), tackled a super important issue: keeping women safe and sound in the digital world.
Before WISE (Women’s Internet Safety and Empowerment), his brainchild project, Bilal tackled educational challenges with students through hackathons under Alumni Small Grant. WISE was also an extension of that drive, but this time, it’s about giving women the confidence to conquer the digital world.
Imagine a workshop where women can learn how to be online bosses? That’s exactly what the WISE seminar was all about! Participants weren’t just there to listen – they actively learned about stuff like how to avoid online creeps, what their rights are, and how to keep their info safe from hackers. They even got tips on creating super strong passwords (because seriously, who wants a weak password?)
Why WISE? Because the internet shouldn’t be a scary place for women. Bilal noticed that online abuse and cybercrime were becoming a major problem for women in Pakistan. Tons of women weren’t even aware of the laws protecting them online, or how to report problems. Bilal knew education was key, so WISE aimed to change that and make women feel empowered to take control of their online safety. Around 50 participants get benefitted from the training. U.S. Consul General Shante Moore, U.S. Consulate General Peshawar also attended the event.
The impact of WISE went way beyond the seminar itself. Haleema Ikram, a participant from Mardan, said, “It wasn’t just informative, it was awesome! We learned how to deal with all kinds of online threats, what our rights are, and where to report problems if something goes wrong. We need more workshops like this!” Another participant, Dr. Bushra Ahmad from Peshawar, agreed, calling it a “super helpful session” that taught them how to protect themselves online.
Bilal’s success story isn’t a one-man show. He gives a big shoutout to the U.S. Mission and PUAN for helping him bring WISE to life. “Working with them was the best!” he says. “Together, we showed everyone the power of teamwork when it comes to making the internet safer and more empowering for women.”
Bilal indeed very beautifully combined his passion for helping young people, his knowledge of what matters, and the power of collaboration to make a real difference. And guess what? He’s not stopping here! Bilal plans to keep doing awesome projects like WISE, working with organizations like the KP Education Department to make sure women have all the tools they need to be online superstars.
Bilal’s story is proof that one person with a vision can seriously change the game!
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