Each year, the Global Encounters programme draws dozens of Ismaili secondary school students from around the world to participate in an intensive four-week residential programme in collaboration with the Aga Khan Academies and the Aga Khan University. This summer, 15 participants from the UK jurisdictions joined this unique adventure in Pakistan, India or Kenya.
The objectives of the programme are centred around service learning, cultural exchange, global citizenship and leadership development. During the trip, students were provided the opportunity to carry out service projects in partnership with schools and local communities to understand the complexities of development and the value of collaborating with the individuals we are serving. Following this rewarding experience, the intention is for the students to take the skills and values they have learned abroad and find opportunities to make a positive impact in their home countries.
At the end of the summer, some of the Pakistan camp participants were asked to look back on what their experience taught them about gratitude and the importance of having a positive perspective on life:
“There was one occasion on Global Encounters which stands out to me where gratitude was reciprocated by both sides. This was the day of our service site presentation, where we showcased all the developments we had made to the Diamond Jubilee Hyderabad School. During the celebration, our group truly witnessed collectively the scale of our work and the positive impact it would have on the school. We felt a huge amount of gratitude towards the teachers and students for such an amazing experience over the 10 days we spent with them. This was returned through the school being extremely appreciative for the improvements we had made and the outside experience we gave to the children. It was an amazing moment!”
“My camp journey was infused with emotionally provoking, and meaningful experiences that continually shaped my perspective. The truly special way in which we were welcomed by the Ismaili community on our arrival at Nasirabad village in Hunza will always have a distinctive place in my heart due to my personal conflicting sentiments of both embarrassment and gratitude at the respect shown to us by each individual. Through Jamati interaction, I gained an insight into the community and how it forms the foundations of their values and culture, as well as an awareness of the challenges associated with a poor quality of life which many of our spiritual brothers and sisters face globally. The critical role of the AKDN and its institutions has further connected me to the principal values of our faith, developing my future aspirations to help with the visionary work of our beloved Hazar Imam.”
“Throughout the course of Global Encounters, we came across numerous occasions where we felt gratitude towards the communities. This was highlighted when visiting the villages who greeted us with such a hospitable nature as they shared with us their culture, food and way of life, despite not having much. This enabled us to gain a better understanding of the way they lived with such little and made you appreciate how much you have. It was an eye-opening experience.”
