Phoenix youth activist and model, Al-haadia Shaik, 22, was honoured with the international Women of Wonder (WOW) award, becoming the youngest recipient of the prestigious award, at a classy event held at the Oyster Box Hotel, in uMhlanga on Saturday, 10 April.
The globally-coveted award celebrates the achievements of women of excellence and empowerment in various fields. Speaking to The Phoenix Tabloid, Shaik said she was proud to have received the award alongside esteemed women such as Margaret Hirsch, Sorisha Naidoo, Kajal Maharaj and many other phenomenal women.
“In accepting this award, I want to acknowledge the young people in their communities, often not recognised but organising, volunteering and making a difference. You are the change we need. You are what inspires me. My community is emerging from many social ills such as poverty, homelessness, dismantled families and lack of opportunities to youth. Going through challenges myself, from a young age, I saw the need to always work hard and be focused. I saw a need to care for those around me and lend a helping hand,” said the third-year law student. Shaik said her desire to help others is what led her to pursue a law degree. “Managing the pressures of working and studying has required me to find creative ways to keep inspired, and to share these little inspirations with others. I founded LeGirly, a brand designed to be a law student’s best friend. Being exposed to such societal ills helped condition my world view but more importantly inspire an agenda deep within me to foster change and advance the cause for social justice. I am a social activist at heart,” said Shaik.
Shaik said she believes that to bring about fundamental change, one must become an agent for change. “That requires our own actions to inspire others. My own actions are through an array of activities and organisations that I am a part of. These initiatives, no matter how small, help bring the positive change in the lives of many around me. Above all, I am a humanist, I gravitate towards the values of Ubuntu; I am because you are,” she said. Her activism has found expression in the many social and political programmes which include volunteering at children’s shelters, hosting vigils for young lives lost, serving in various NGOs, anti-war demonstrations, advocating against racism, encouraging peace and unity, creating awareness campaigns for health rights, championing the plight of the vulnrable and connecting unemployed youth with employment opportunities. “These achievements have really been food to my soul, igniting in me a little flame to inspire more young people to get active within their communities,” said Shaik. Shaik, also a part-time model is a former Glow TV Miss Uniworld Finalist who received the community service award at the event. She was recently elected into the 1860 heritage interim youth committee by the premier of the province and is currently an administrator to Kwela women in Durban. She lives by the motto: ‘be the change you want to see’. Shaik thanked her partners, Previn Vedan, Azad Seedat and Pamela Padachee and the organisers of the event. “I am truly honoured to be the youngest recipient of this award,” she added.
