Interview
Marching forward !

By Waqas Hassan Sharif

YLC or the Young Leaders Conference is a phenomenon that occurs every year from 1st to 6th July. It is held in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi. Youth from all over Pakistan participate in it and get the chance to appreciate the diversity that exists in our country. During these 6 days, many workshops are held: these can be on leadership or even on appreciating how blessed and fortunate are people who are well off and physically sound. Young people from different provinces are divided into groups and made to work with each other. As a result, misconceptions and prejudices are removed. That, in itself, is a great service to the country. In fact, we suggest that the government also send its representatives to hunt for talent, and then train the brilliant young people as future politicians.

Us caught up with Shirin Naqvi, the dynamic lady who started all this in Pakistan. How we wish that more people start following her lead to engage the young people of the country and tap the invaluable resource that is being wasted. Only by empowering the youth can Pakistan move forward!

Tell us some thing about yourself.

I did my matriculations from Peshawar, then I did my bachelors in econometrics from Kinnaird College, Lahore. After that, I did my MBA from IBA Karachi. Besides all this, I have done a number of courses from the US. Right now I am working with three organisations which are Navitus, a consultancy firm; SoL – School of Leadership and SoL Foundation where we work with children with disabilities.  

What was the concept behind YLC? What made you think of starting SoL?

SoL started when we did the Young Leaders Conference in 2002. I got the idea of starting YLC from GYLC, the Global Young Leaders Conference which is held in New York. I simply thought that it should happen in Pakistan too. So I contacted many people like Javed Jabbar so that the process could get started. Then we opened SoL in 2003. At first it was a small room with three people sitting together.

What is the aim of YLC?

YLC aims towards two things: one is to make people realise how much potential they have; to believe in themselves, and to build their confidence. The second aim is to realise the inside out approach; main hoon tu duniya hain!

What is the difference between the GYLC and YLC?

GYLC is very different from YLC. In GYLC you have to represent a country and in YLC we focus on leadership.

Besides YLC, what are the other projects of SoL for the youth?

Other than YLC, we are currently running TTYT. It stands for 'Train the young trainer'. In this project we train youths from ages 18-22, and we have been doing this for the last six years. We have about 120 trainers now. The trainers conduct workshops and the graduates of TTYT run the YLC.

We also conduct summer camps in public speaking. These are of two types:

One is 'Impact' which is for 14-17 year olds. And the second which is for the youth between 18-24 year olds is the 'Hyde Park Junior'. In these camps we focus on public speaking skills and confidence. There is this other programme which we are doing in coordination with a cellular company in which we go to different universities and provide career counselling to students. We also conduct a Women Conference of 3 days on women empowerment in which women from ages 18 – 80 participate.  

Your definition of Leadership?

That you are able to make decisions, assume responsibility and take risks in making your choices in life. That is, not living it according to what the zamana says, but because what you think is right.

Initial problems, response of sponsors?

We just jumped into it without having adequate funds. But luckily, within one year, our integrity and reputation was established in the corporate and the social sectors.

At our first YLC, we had zero funds. So I sold some of my gold and got the money I needed, and with that we made visiting cards and letterheads on which we wrote the idea and sent it to about 150 different companies. 134 students attended the first YLC.     

What is the difference between a Leader and a Manager?

There is no difference as the definition goes in the 21st Century. In today's time, leadership is a function of management; it's not a separate function. Every manager has to be a leader.

How do you motivate your team members?

I don't have to! They are already motivated. The idea is so powerful itself that they get enthralled by it.

What are your future plans and targets?

I always wanted to go into politics, but I don't have a political background, so it's a bit late. And in addition, I am quite naïve. But I am really interested in starting a school for politicians called the School of Governance. But I don't know whether parents will send their children for politics (laughs). And secondly, I would like to work with disabled youth and make them more economically empowered.  

What expectations do you have from this year's YLC?

Same as before; we will hopefully enable 300 youths to become more confident and stand up and face the world.

What have you learnt from YLC?

Every year, almost on the 5th or 6th day, I say no more! It's not useful; nahi seekhay gain.

What about international students?

This is not our target. We announce our programme and whoever wants to come, comes. But this year we have got so many applications from all over the world that we had to Google the countries and see if they even exist. We got about 50 applications from Nigeria. We requested them to send 20 students. We told them that we would go to Nigeria the next year and train the youths over there.