By Hira Nafees Shah
Keeping its fine tradition alive, the KP/FATA chapter of the Pakistan-U.S Alumni Network held its third annual reunion in Peshawar on Thursday, October 23rd, 2014.
More than one hundred and fifty alumni enthusiastically took part in the polished event and paid homage to the resilient spirit of the people of the province.
“We are working in a hostile and risky environment, but still alumni members actively participate in our events.” said Faisal Shehzad, PUAN KP/FATA President, while addressing the audience at the outset of the gathering.
Shehzad’s words certainly rang true at the reunion as participants who went to study to the U.S on Youth Exchange and Study Program (YES), Global UGrad, Study of U.S. Institute for Student Leaders (SUSI), Fulbright and International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), among others, all showed up to discuss their exchange experiences.
“I really like the reunion because it makes you feel as if you are a part of this special community, a part of this family,” said Bela Khan, a UGrad alumna. “A lot of love and affection was showered on us at this event which has increased our feeling of belonging to the Pakistan-U.S Alumni Network.”
This feeling of bonding was also mentioned by the chief guest U.S Consulate Peshawar Public Affairs Officer Raymond Stephens at the occasion.
“When you return to Pakistan from your exchange experience, you are an alumnus and part of our family,” said Stephens. “The alumni come back to Pakistan as citizens of the world; they have more confidence and understand Americans better.”
Showcasing Chapter Activities
The reunion featured video screenings of the work done by Global UGrad alumnus Farmanullah Mohmand and Community College Initiative Program (CCIP) alumnus Wasim Khan to motivate the audience to give back to their communities after returning to Pakistan.
An impressive lineup of chapter activities conducted with the supervision of the KP/FATA Alumni Coordinator Usman Saddique also spoke volumes of the amount of community engagement carried out by the chapter over the course of the previous year. Some of these activities included a Ration Drive during Ramadan, alumni visiting victims of the 2013 Peshawar church blast and Tech Week events that were held in four different cities of the province.
In addition to youth, senior exchange participants also attended the function, and brought a great deal of flair and sagacity to the proceedings.
“I was in contact with different people from the SUSI exchange program,” said Hadia Akbar, a UGrad alumna. “But here at the reunion, I also met people from more professional programs and this reunion has helped break barriers between students and professionals.”
“It is good to see the senior and professional alumni at the KP/FATA reunion because it has a trickledown effect,” said Arsalan Majid, a UGrad alumnus. “For example many YES alumni are asking me questions about how they can get into the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST).”
KP/FATA Chapter Highest Recipient of Alumni Small Grants
A panel discussion at the gathering also revolved around the Alumni Small Grants administered by the Pakistan-U.S Alumni Network’s office based at the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan.
“The KP/FATA chapter has the distinction of being the highest recipient of Alumni Small Grants,” said PUAN Alumni Outreach Officer Asim Hamza Gilani, while giving a breakdown about what makes a successful application.
The panel included four successful recipients of the small grants from the local chapter like Nabila Afridi (Crafts Bazaar), Ahmed Qazi (Model Provincial Assembly), Saeedullah Orakzai (Nat Geo Photo Camps Exhibition), and Mutawakkil Abbasi (Empowering Widows project).
The audience greatly benefited from videos that were aired about each respective project by the U.S Consulate Peshawar, so that they became familiar with the work of the grantees as they talked about it.
“I found the session on Alumni Small Grants quite useful especially the discussion related to making the budget in the application,” said Ikram Akbar, a UGrad alumnus, after the session.
Awards were also given to alumni for meritorious services that they had rendered for the chapter during the previous year. Sana Ejaz, a Pakistani recipient of the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) for the year 2014 was also among the prize winners.
Certificates were also given out to mentors and mentees who took part in the annual Mentorship Program. A hilarious skit and a YES alumni dance on Cha Cha Slide with the chief guest Stephens was the highlight of the reunion, and brought the function to its successful end.
“The U.S Consulate Peshawar is doing a great job especially the Alumni Coordinator who tries to engage every alum and keeps coming up with new activities,” said Humaima Ashfaq, an IVLP alumna.
“The reunion was an awesome event,” said Mohammad Asfandyar, a YES Alumnus. “It was very well organized and the sessions were very well executed.”
To see more photographs from the reunion, check out this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pakusalumni/sets/72157648610614829/
For more information, check:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/PUAN-Kp-Fata-Annual-Reunion-2014/1493430767571787
