Ferina Bhaidani
Ferina has been involved in establishing primary, secondary, and adult education programs through planning, collaboration, mentorship, and team mentoring, both in Australia and overseas. She also likes to be known as an avid traveller, soul seeker and coffee explorer!
Tell us your story
Born in Hyderabad, India, I come from a big family of four children. Being the third daughter in the family, I was expected to finish my basic education and get married soon after. However, I felt my purpose of existence was more than that, and in this quest, I often asked myself, what can I do to find meaning in life, and how can I bring change through my passion.
After completing my bachelor’s degree, I joined a primary school as an assistant teacher and volunteered at my local Religious Education Centre (REC). During my time as a teacher, I realised that teaching and interactions with kids kindled my spirit and lit up my heart, and seemed meaningful. I started exploring ways to find meaning in teaching and how it can be a source that can have a ripple effect in bringing change in my surroundings and society.
In 2010, I joined the STEP (Secondary Teachers Education Program) offered by the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London. It was a competitive program and I had to consistently demonstrate skills and talent during my time in London. Many sleepless nights, lengthy assignments, and staying away from home were all part and parcel of it. But the journey and experience of it all were worth it.
The two years in my master’s program and ten years of teaching, and working with diverse people from all walks of life has taught me to reflect on what I am doing, why am I doing it, and how I know what I know. This journey of reflection liberated my mind and gave me more reasons to constantly strive for becoming a better person, find my passion, seek hope, and change the world – one step at a time!
In this journey, the support of my sister Mona Dayani and my mentor Nazir Kassam was like a small flame that constantly gave me comfort and a glimmer of hope. My mother and friends have also stood by me like pillars of strength in this journey.
Anything you imagine begins with a thought and this thought can shape your life. As the Quranic Ayat suggests “Kun-fa-ya-kun” (Be! And it is!). So, think positively, question, and reflect on how you “Aspire'' to be!
