I had been blessed an amazing journey from nothing to everything

When I was growing up the strongest ones in the family were sent for farming and cattle rearing and the weak ones to school. Unfortunately, I was physically very strong as a child. So, I was sent to meadows for cattle rearing but I was very keen to get an education. Once I was in a pasture with cattle when the flood destroyed half of my village. Due to that flooding, our house was also destroyed and we moved to Skardu where I got admission in a primary school because I did not have any cattle to rear in the city. With curiosity and passion for education, I performed well throughout my school. As I joined school very late, I was always the eldest in my class. Therefore, when I was in 6th class, my parents arranged my marriage and I became a husband. Adding to the awkwardness of a school going adult, this was an added responsibility which made my life difficult and a hurdle in continuing my education. However, I was so determined towards education that I made it my first priority and luckily my wife was very supportive. After my marriage, I went to Karachi for further studies. I got good grades in matric and got admission in a very good college. Unfortunately, during my FSc, my father passed away it was much discouraging for me to continue my education but my brother continued to support me. After FSc, I had to do part time job bear my educational and family expenses. I wanted to study further but I had to come back because of the family but I never left the rope of Allah and he paved ways for me to get as much education as I wanted. Hailing from meadows and pastures to starting a job at AKRSP and making it to Norway for a course on ‘Environmental and sustainable development’, getting selected for a ‘Young Muslim Leaders Program’ at Cambridge England, it was all an amazing journey from nothing to everything for me. Now I head an organization ‘Baltistan Wild Life Conservation and Developmental Organization’ which has been chosen as one of the 15 winners out of 806 nominations for the Equator Prize 2017. Only 15 countries have been selected for this award from 120 countries. I traveled a long path to be where I am today but my struggle was worth it.