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To acknowledge the services of the unsung heroes that are actively reshaping the society through their utmost efforts for humanity, Ufone arranged a bloggers’meetup. Taking its primary message forward, ‘It’s all about U’, the company extends its support to consumers and people around, thus making them the core focus so as to serve them right.
Ufone makes conscious efforts in recognising and highlighting people who are an outstanding role model and a personification of the very message ‘It is all about U’. These are the people who, despite their challenges, have risen above and beyond them and made it big in life. These are the role models who people will look up to as an inspiration as their achievements send out a message that inspires others to do good in their own capacity.
Four of these compassionate individuals were invited to share their inspirational stories and discuss about their endeavours in order to instill a higher sense of benevolence in people around. These included Muhammad Mohsin Ali, Shamim Akhtar, Saqib Ali Kazmi, and Sabia Abbat. Heroes in their respective areas, Ufone scouted them and picked them up to portray them as models of excellence to the society, so as to trigger the self-belief and inspiration needed to excel in life. Through TVCs and a comprehensive 360 degree campaign, the company has highlighted the life stories of these individuals, their struggles and their unparalleled achievements to inspire the nation and instill in them the belief that nothing is beyond their reach, provided they have the determination to make their dream come true.
Shamim Akhtar one of these heroes, at 53 is Pakistan’s first female driver; she is one such example who decided to go against all odds to make both ends meet for her family and adapted to a role skewed toward gender based obstacles. She attributes her success to the Islamabad Traffic Police Training course that paved the way for her to show her the possibilities of being able to drive heavy vehicles as she had gained an excellent road sense and courage to defy all stereotypes associated with driving vehicles. Her untiring efforts later helped her gain a public service vehicle license, making her the first Pakistani woman licensed to drive trailers, tractors and trucks.
Similarly, Muhammad Mohsin, son of a bread maker and resident of Hafizabad scored 688 points in his B.A exams through his uncanny efforts; thereby topping the list in B.A/B.Sc exams held by the Punjab University and made waves nationwide. Not being able to manage his college dues, he still had his motivation geared towards his goal of completing his graduation and therefore appeared for exams as a private candidate. Mohsin continued his quest for education while assisting his father to support his family and ensured that financial obstacles do not become the reason for a break in his education.
Sabia Abbat, on the other hand, is a 25 year old cyclist hailing from the village of Haripur and has also been handpicked by Ufone to brace its campaign. Within two years of her enthusiastic endeavors for sports, she became the national champion in Lahore; prior to this, she had been representing her college in regional events. She is now a professional cyclist and holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education.
Another flourishing example is of Saqib Ali Kazmi, an inspiring young entrepreneur and social worker from Karachi. From education to health, Kazmi works in the development sector to help the underprivileged of the society however he can. He started a project called “Mera Karachi Meri Zimmedari”. The name being self-explanatory focused on the role of each individual towards the society instead of relying on the politicians or ruling elites to facilitate people. Taking a leap forward, he worked in a small school and later with the help of his friends identified two areas of development in Interior Sindh, that is, water and education. To resolve the water crisis in the area, Saqib and his friends installed 320 hand pumps in different areas of Interior Sindh, particularly Gharo and Thatta. Saqib and the team also manage an educational venture in a village in Gharo. They provide books, free education, uniform and linguistic training to children to allow them to grow and prosper as well as make a difference.
As part of Ufone’s brand philosophy, it also supported people and organisations not generally known to the public but who all have been doing extra ordinary work for the betterment of the society. These were small scale philanthropic initiatives started by individuals on a personal basis who later went an extra mile, thus impacting their surroundings magnanimously. These include Operation Eid Child, Deewar-e-Mehrbani, and Khaana Ghar. All 3 initiatives have been conceived and are conducted by individuals in their personal capacities. These are being highlighted by Ufone to inspire similar ventures and to invite participation in the on-going activities. Ufone showcased these initiatives through a large electronic media campaign to share the message of goodness with all Pakistanis.
Parveen Saeed of Khana Ghar also graced the event with her presence and explained how she was encouraged to pursue her mission of feeding the underprivileged when she heard of a mother having killed her two children as she was unable to feed them.
The discussion by these unsung heroes was followed by an interactive session with the bloggers whose keen interest in their endeavours revealed many more unsung heroes in the making!
