Mohammad Rahim Shah strikes you as an eager, curious person the very first time you see him. His enthusiasm and honesty are infectious. A graduate of Computer Sciences, Rahim belongs to Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, where he is currently working as a Professor and Focal Person for the Department of ICT at Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS).
Rahim has been a very active member of the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network’s (PUAN) ever since he returned from the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in 2014 where he studied at the North Central College Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
This year, Rahim was one of the lucky alumni whose project was selected for PUAN’s flagship Alumni Small Grant (ASG) Program, an initiative that encourages alumni to leverage their exchange program learning to put ideas into action to create meaningful change in their communities, with funding ranging up to 1 million Pakistani rupees.
Rahim’s idea was ambitious but potentially impactful – to assist students and young professionals in leveraging online earning opportunities through an improvement in their technical literacy and skills. As the world is being thrust into an era driven by technological revolution, the internet is a goldmine for quick employment opportunities. With the right skills and the only investments being a computer and an internet connection, the internet presents endless possibilities to make money online without moving an inch. Rahim’s ASG aimed to help university-level students make the most out of these opportunities.
Titled ‘Learn Better, Live Better’, this tech-based project trained 300 college and university students in Quetta, with an equal number of male and female participation, on a variety of skills including blogging, graphic designing, Search Engine Optimization, web development, technical writing and English language, cyber security, basic programming and, freelancing. Tech Talks were also organized in which industry experts spoke to participants about their personal and professional journeys and gave trainings on a range of different topics related to technology.
21-year old Seher, a student of BUITEMS who participated in the workshops, says:
“Given the cultural and geographical restrictions in Quetta, freelancing is one of the most ideal options for girls here, but the idea of earning online seemed so complicated to me. The tech camps have guided me on every aspect of it, from start to finish, and I feel more confident on earning independently now.”
As part of the project, Rahim organized 14 workshops on technical and soft skills, 6 Tech Talks on latest trends in technology and 12 labs on web development and graphic design. The overarching objective of this ASG was to promote innovation, resilience and positively contribute to the Pakistan’s economy by giving youth a sense of meaning and belonging.
Rahim is very pleased with the turn out for his ASG and wishes to continue working on such projects to bridge the digital divide in Balochistan and promote tech literacy among students. He says:
“The broader objective of this ASG was to promote innovation, resilience and positively contribute to Pakistan’s economy by giving youth in Quetta a sense of meaning and belonging. Universities in Quetta are producing a huge number of graduates who ultimately cannot find jobs due to lack of skills and opportunities. I chose this activity to empower students to find work online, share their families’ financial burden and feel confident in their abilities.”
