Q: Tell us about yourself and your journey to making this million-dollar + investment in women and girls. What inspired you? What are you proud of?

I grew up in Iran before moving to the UK with my family at the age of nine. Not being able to speak English and adjusting to an entirely new way of life was extremely overwhelming. At that point, I felt like I was living on the margins of society and so I relied heavily on my education. This eventually became a key pillar that supported me in my early years in the UK as I developed my sense of self and came to understand my own agency.

This personal experience motivated me to launch my foundation, SAGE Innovation Centre, in 2019, to advocate for and empower women and children in the developing world who are uniquely vulnerable. Each year, I look at the global agenda and craft interventions to elevate and support women and children so they can reach their full potential. This not only empowers them individually but benefits their communities and societies writ large.

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