A look at International Development & Education with Farzana Karim-Haji, Ep 15

The working environment is undergoing a rapid and exhilarating change and you do not want to be left behind.

On How to be the Difference, we help you navigate in and around the intricacies of this new and exciting era, providing the latest career advice from leading industry experts. As the demand for tech-savvy professionals rapidly increases, “the world is your oyster…” has never rang truer, from remote teams and online working platforms to task automation.

If you are looking to begin your career, secure that promotion, find the right role to suit your family’s needs or identify better ways to attract and retain top talent for your company, look no further as we tackle the ever-evolving nature of the working environment, and its future.

Hosted by Talanta’s very own, our Co-founder and Head of Impact, Johanna Molina and Head of Experience, Paul Lynskey.

Increasing access to opportunities in the developing world

In this episode of How to be the Difference, Johanna and Paul sat down with Farzana Karim-Haji, Associate Provost at Aga Khan University, Pakistan’s first private university.

Farzana has over 19 years of experience in strategic planning and the development of Aga Khan’s emerging international projects in Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Before joining AKU, Farzana worked at the United Nations Development Programme as a policy specialist on international development issues. 

Her interdisciplinary background provided her with easily transferable skills as she transitioned from the UN to work in the academic world. Listen to this episode as Farzana explains the impact of building good governance, a strong civil society, and great education programs. She also touches on the importance of controlling brain drain and the decolonization of development.

To learn more about amazing internship opportunities, check out Talanta’s website.

Outline of this episode:

  • [0:28] – Introducing Farzana Karim-Haji
  • [3:38] – Growing up in Nairobi
  • [8:45] – On trying things outside your comfort zone
  • [11:30] – Connection to Aga Khan
  • [17:13] – Increasing opportunities in the developing world
  • [21:22] – What is brain drain?
  • [25:30] – Working in countries in conflict
  • [30:04] – How to help from a distance
  • [32:15] – The future of women in Afghanistan
  • [37:43] – What’s next for Farzana?

Resources & people mentioned:

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