Milky Way Movement is an idea to link today’s youth with tomorrow’s youth, to create a better society where we can respect our differences and unite on similarities. We stand for education as we believe it is the greatest agent of change, it is through education that once scattered people and poor countries have transformed into civilized societies and developed nations. Many talented students are
oppressed by poverty so we have a great responsibility to educate them. We aim to remove this financial hurdle for so many bright children, so that they can get education and contribute to make this world a better place. To achieve what we stand for, we are currently educating 107 students in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral regions and running “Milky Way Academy” for toddlers which is nurturing 41 kids of Thoi in Yasin valley of Gilgit Baltistan
Our History
The idea about setting a platform for needy and talented students goes back to 2008 when Shahzaman while in his days at Beaconhouse school system realized how money is a hurdle for many talented kids to get quality education. At that time he dreamt to take an initiative to open the doors of schools for so many in our society who are extraordinary but money cease their path. In May 2010 he started realizing this dream by sponsoring three orphans in thoi Yasin, a village in Gilgit Baltistan. He shared his vision with his high school, college teachers and friends. They also joined the movement by sponsoring kids so, the next year Milky Way sponsored 45 kids. Sir Raja Nadeem Ameen, Sir Tahir Mehmood, Madam Fozia Tahir, Shah Alam, Syed Asad Ali Shah, Abid Karim, Aliyas Hussein, Raja Qamar Zaman, Rubina Salman,Nelofer raza,Naseema Parveen, Rehana Aziz and Rida Urooj were among many of the prominent members who volunteered Milky Way in their best capacities. In the beginning most of students at NUST Sponsored kids by managing the fee out of their pocket money and then the students and faculty members of Quaid -i- Azam University joined the movement. Slowly many of the students who adopted kids at Milky Way could not continue their support due to financial constraints and the burden fell on Zaman who continued his struggle along with few other activists and teachers. When finally all the students who were supporting kids could not do so, he support the kids by teaching for a year before some philanthropists joined milky way and supported the cause. Now Milky Way Youth Movement is an inspiration and example of youth activism not only for the youth of Gilgit Baltistan but for the whole country. It is a single youth movement which is voluntarily supporting 107 students from all over Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral regions in prestigious academic institutions including all Higher Secondary schools and Gilgit College of Commerce and Economics (GCCE). In addition to this, keeping in mind the need of a Montessori academy in Thoi; a small village in Yasin Gilgit Baltistan ‘Milky Way Academy’ is launched where 41 kids are being taught at Montessori level. Milky Way now has dedicated activists of College, university students and professionals who are contributing in all their capacities for the betterment of the society. After Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral, Milky Way will expand its scope to rest of the areas of Pakistan with the power of youth and will put its efforts to change the society by educating tomorrow’s youth. The hard work, steadfastness and vision of so many silent volunteers and donors have now enabled Milky Way to transform into a youth led movement to serve tomorrow’s youth
Our Philosophy
Milky Way Movement believes in serving tomorrow’s youth by the skills, knowledge and practical efforts of today’s youth. we believe that when tomorrow we become yesterday’s youth we should not regret for not doing anything for our society rather we should be happy to look back and see our share in a creating a better society. This could only be achieved if all of us, the students and the professionals realize and practice the basic aims of education which says:
What are you doing for yourself? What are you doing for your family? What are you doing for your society? What are you doing for your country
What are you doing for the world? So if we ponder over these queries we would definitely be able to bring the real change. Youth is the strength of any society so come and be a part of us as we believe that we are the voices of future generations and our voice will be echoed very far into future.
