A group of graduate students from Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Law School came to Pakistan for a week-long trek between August 11 and August 18, 2013. The trek, organized by the students through support from SAI in-country consultants, sought to develop a deeper understanding of issues and opportunities in Pakistan.
The delegation comprised of 8 students, hailing from Germany, Mexico, United States, and Pakistan, met with government institutions, civil society organizations, and leaders from media and entertainment industry.
The group visited the Aman Foundation, one of the partner organizations of SAI. The students engaged in a dialogue with the senior management of Aman Foundation and its associated companies about the role of social enterprises in enhancing social service delivery for the base of the pyramid consumers. They toured the Aman Foundation, the AMANTECH campus – vocational and technical training arm of Aman Foundation, and the Aman Community Health Worker program community site, and met with field staff. They were deeply impressed by the on-ground presence and the lasting impact of Aman Foundation on Karachi. They discussed possibilities of internship, student projects, and long-term research engagements in Karachi with support from SAI.
After spending two days in Karachi, the delegation continued to Lahore – the capital of Punjab and the second biggest city of Pakistan. Lahore University of Management Sciences hosted the delegation, where they discussed the unique context of providing quality higher education in Pakistan.
The trek concluded with a excursion trip to the Himalayas in northern district of Pakistan. Through the lush planes of Naraan and Kaghan, a hike took them to the celebrated Lake Saif-ul-Mulook marked the highlight of the trip.