I was born in India in the early 1990s. Due to the communal riots of the time, my parents felt like immigrants in their own country because we were a Muslim family in a Hindu-dominated nation. Eventually, they fled to Oman for a better future, lured by a mirage of middle eastern oil prosperity. Little did they know that it was just another place mistreating migrants, especially blue-collar like us. Many migrants endured disrespect and feared going out alone due to threats of violence. This was the beginning of my journey to uplift labor workers and their families.
After turning 18, I started various projects, from healthcare support to vocational skill development training. Fortunately, the local youth and industries welcomed this, which helped improve migrant worker treatment. It was around that time when the first protests for youth empowerment in Oman took place. Some protesters mistook me and attempted an attack, but the other protesters who had benefited from my initiatives stood up in protection. I will never forget their courage.
In late 2012, when I was 23, my family moved back to India, the country I was hesitant to call home because of discrimination, to treat my father’s colon cancer. The difficult experience inspired me to support workers from all walks of life, even in India. After a few years of crowdsourced funding, we were able to provide equipment for individuals to start their own businesses. I am proud to say we have helped create over 400 small-scale startups.
But my vision had yet to be fulfilled, and I was still far from making my dream a reality. Four years later, I saw a large number of Africans, mostly from Nigeria, coming to India. Many of them were duped by brokers, or admission consultants, who would treat students like cattle. I couldn’t stand what I was watching, so I flew to Nigeria.
Now, we will be launching a university for not only Nigerians, but all Africans. Workers around the world are discriminated against not because of what they do or where they work, but because of a lack of education. This university will provide access to skill-based education to improve individuals’ lives while also building strong societal leaders for years to come. Turning out to be the youngest university founder in history, my long journey is finally paving the path toward my true mission of creating an epitome of skill-oriented education.
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