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| Barakat Walk for Literacy 2010 |
This post is long overdue. It's partly because I have been so lost in my work that for a bit, I've forgotten to stop and revisit why I started it. So I'm taking this chance to write about my experience as a graphic designer at
Barakat Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides education for women and children in its 5 schools across India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Barakat's education is valued in a whole new way. Without the things that most of us take for granted, people with more challenging living situations have to learn how to deal with everyday circumstances. Things like being able to read a newspaper and keep up-to-date with current events, prevent illness and stay healthy, and deal with post-flood situations allow them to
live a step higher from their current conditions. And these are just a few examples.
It's similar to the students at the
blind school in India who took their knowledge of Braille and of operating their laptops and expressed confidence in their ability to learn and be just as educated as a student without the disability. Their inability to see was not a weakness because they had the opportunity to learn how to work around it. This opportunity is what Barakat strives to give.
There is so much more to say about the organization, such as its focus on educating women and children and allowing them to be one step closer to breaking the stereotype of being one
less when compared to men, especially in the culture and environment they live in. The word education itself is full of life; everything from reading and writing to health and work life fall within its umbrella and each area is an important aspect of Barakat's influence on its students' lives.
As a graphic designer, I have the opportunity to go through our stock of photographs (
click here to see some from our flickr account), which are taken by amazing photographers that know how to capture a moment. Being able to use these photographs and create marketing materials that convey Barakat's message is something that I think is powerful. I'm just lucky to be able to be working with a cause I respect, and a job I enjoy.
