Founders

Two sisters spent a happy lifetime together to finally cofound Aniqa Naz Foundation :

2. Beenish Sahar Khan

I am a Software Engineer with about fifteen years of industry experience working across Pakistani, Canadian, and American technology sectors. Until the start of the pandemic, I lived in Toronto, Canada, and built industrial robots that used Artificial Intelligence. Currently, I am in Karachi running Aniqa Naz Foundation. The story of how I got into promoting digital literacy for kids is long and you can read it here.

For most of my life, I have been your average Millennial, completely absorbed in my own matters; setting goals and trying to achieve them. But then one event happened that changed my life. My eldest sister, Aniqa baji, died. The date was 22nd October, 2012.

My sister was the love of my life. My one great supporter, who always fought and won battles for me. And for me there has been no greater sorrow than her death. Everyday since she left had been a day in the desert. Walking on the sand, tired and thirsty, with no way home.

Until, after almost 8 years of her passing, while sitting by her grave, something dawned on me : Aniqa baji had been kind and helpful to all children, and perhaps I can imitate her. Perhaps, that’s my way home. I believe it’s a gift that she wants to pass on to me. I struggle daily with being kind and compassionate and helpful to kids, but I try.

Early on, while trying to teach a kid programming, I had to work with his mother on phone for four hours. Giving her instructions to fix a problem with her computer. It was painful, and I wondered what was I even doing? Weren’t I once an engineer who built robots in Toronto ? But I already knew the answer : I had to help that woman and her child, because in helping them I was helping myself.

I am but a lost child, who once held her sister’s finger to navigate her world. And after 8 long years of my solitary journey, I believe I have found her again, and I don’t want to leave her side. I don’t want to be lost again. With Allah’s help, I will continue to do Aniqa baji’s work.

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Beenish Khan, January 2021

1. Dr. Aniqa Naz

The foundation is named after Dr. Aniqa Naz, but it isn’t a memorial organization. She was much too successful and talented for anyone to create a memorial for her. She is a co-founder.

Her personal values and mission guide her namesake foundation. I do not know anyone else more suited to be the face of an organization for kids’ wellbeing.

Many grown ups take children’s matters as something ‘childish,’ not worthy of adults’ time and attention. But Aniqa Baji understood that the little, innocent inner worlds of the children are unique and interesting. I know because I was once that child who basked in the warmth of her attention. In her blog, at one place she wrote,

And she truly listened to children with patience and her own child-like wonder. Probably that’s why she always had amusing stories of children she met.

Aniqa baji had a deep interest in kids’ education, and worked for it in her own capacity. She always insisted that the quality of school level education will have a far greater impact on a child’s wellbeing than university level education later in life.

She was easily amused by everything. The most funny thing about her jokes was how much she laughed while telling them. She not only stopped to smell the proverbial roses but also engaged with everyone nearby the roses. I do not remember her ever running after money or fame. In short, she knew the secret of living a simple, happy life.

Aniqa baji did her Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Hossein Ebrahim Jamal (HEJ) Research Institute of Chemistry, under the supervision of Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman (former minister of education.) She was a nationally and internationally published Urdu story writer, and blogger. She was also a teacher to many children and adults, and briefly taught at Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science, & Technology.

You can read her writings on children here.

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Beenish Khan, January 2021