My name is Zobia Memon, and I was selected as a Millennium Fellow under the Millennium Campus Network (MCN) in my fourth year. I come from Larkana, a small city in Pakistan, where education is still developing and traditional teaching methods are common.
When I started university, I understood that higher education is not just about attending classes or passing exams. It requires curiosity, discussion, and the courage to ask questions. I realized that real learning happens when students are encouraged to think freely, share ideas, and connect lessons with real-life experiences. It pushed me to look back at how I was taught. In many schools across Pakistan, especially in smaller cities like Larkana, learning still depends too much on memorization. Students are often taught to repeat what is written in books rather than to understand and explore. Because of this, many lose interest and stop enjoying the learning process. Through my university experience, I understood that education should be more than just gaining knowledge. True learning helps students grow, think deeply, and understand life better, and children in my hometown deserve to learn in such a manner. This understanding became even stronger when I went abroad as part of the Global UGRAD Exchange Program. During that time, I volunteered at Linfield Kindergarten, and the experience completely changed how I viewed education. I saw how stories, games, encouragement, and creativity made learning joyful for children. Every lesson was full of curiosity and excitement. I learned that when primary education is engaging, it develops a lasting love for learning in children.
When I returned to Pakistan, I came with a purpose to contribute and make learning more meaningful for children. That is how my project, Roshni, began. I chose SDG 4: Quality Education because I truly believe it is the foundation for all other goals. Every kind of progress, whether it is reducing poverty, promoting gender equality, or tackling climate change, starts with education. Without quality education, no real change can happen. For me, staying committed to SDG 4 is very important because quality education has the power to change lives and strengthen entire communities. It opens minds, builds empathy, and helps people make better choices for themselves and others. Without a strong educational foundation, no progress can truly last. I want to play my part, even in small ways, by making learning more enjoyable and accessible for children in my community. Through Roshni, I aim to create learning experiences that interactively build understanding and awareness. I believe that when children learn through curiosity and compassion, they grow into empathetic and responsible individuals.