Member-only story
I met Muhammad Azam in 2008 when he had just come to the UAE. We had an opportunity to work together in one of the most toxic environments (More on that some other time). Still found Azam to be resilient and committed in the most adverse circumstances. We had a second stint together in an even more harsh environment and he managed the challenges with stride and a smile.
I wanted to share his story to inspire anyone who might think that life has been unkind to him, here’s Muhammad Azam who’s now an R & D Engineer in a prestigious institute :
I am a proud son of parents who had no formal education but worked hard to raise six children in a small town in Pakistan, we grew up poor in means but rich in love. My initial interaction with the world of learning had been harsh at the neighbourhood school that was housed in a small compound. Physical abuse had been rampant and after some time I couldn’t take it anymore and left my studies, at kindergarten.
However, the next teacher showered her with love and kindness and encouraged all students to strive and learn. She would prompt us kindly by saying that only education would help us break the shackles of poverty, and she couldn’t have been more correct.
