Empowering the 'Architects of Future': 6 Weeks as a TCF Rahbar
Leadership is about the lives we influence. In early 2026, I served as a Youth Mentor (Rahbar) for The Citizens Foundation (TCF). For six weeks, I worked with a group of 8th-grade students at the Naseem Faruq Campus to help them navigate their future goals and build a stronger foundation for their careers.
The ‘Soch se Taqdeer’ Framework
The program, ‘Soch se Taqdeer’ (From Thought to Destiny), is built on helping students move from a mindset of circumstance to one of action.
We focused on three main areas:
- Self-Regulation: Managing emotions and stress in difficult environments.
- Habit Engineering: Identifying ‘Buri’ (Bad) habits and replacing them with ‘Achi’ (Good) habits that help them succeed.
- Vision Casting: Mapping out long-term career goals that go beyond their immediate surroundings.
The Results
During these six weeks, I focused on being a consistent guide for my students:
- 24+ Hours of Mentorship: Conducted intensive face-to-face sessions on weekends.
- 1:8 Mentor-Student Ratio: Worked closely with a dedicated group of 8 students to provide individual guidance.
- 100% Completion: Every student in my cohort successfully finished the program and received their certification.
STEM and the Future
Even though the program isn’t strictly technical, I used my background as a Software Engineer to show these students what is possible in the tech world. Many see technology as something out of reach; I wanted to show them it’s a tool they can use.
I shared:
- Logic and Life: How the same logic used in coding helps in making better life decisions.
- Tech Roadmaps: A clear path for how they can enter the global tech economy, regardless of where they start.
- Civic Tech: How they can eventually build systems to solve problems in their own neighborhoods.
Reflection
This experience confirmed that education equity is the only way forward. Being a ‘Rahbar’ (Guide) required patience and empathy. It was about showing these students that their location doesn’t define their potential, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).
📸 Photos from the Sessions
You can see the journey of this cohort—including the certification ceremony—in my gallery.
#SocialImpact #Mentorship #TCF #Rahbar #EducationEquity #STEM #Leadership