LADIESFUND® TRAILBLAZER AWARD (PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD)
The LADIESFUND® Trailblazer Award recognizes a fresh entrepreneur who is making immediate impact with her innovative ideas and pioneering ways. This rising star is not afraid to take the path less traveled and in doing so successfully is a great inspiration to others. She is also someone who is likely to be a powerhouse in future years. Although any trailblazer can apply or be nominated, this Award is usually given to someone relatively young in her career and in life. This is a People's Choice Award.
Humaira Bachal
Education Advocate
Winner
Humaira is an education advocate striving to change the attitude of people who are against women’s education At the age of 12, Humaira started classes for underprivileged children in her neighborhood, which later grew into the Dream Model Street School where 1,200 students are currently enrolled. She also founded the Dream Foundation Trust which offers separate adult literacy classes for men and women.
Ayesha Noorani
Social Entrepreneur
Nominee
Ayesha Noorani is an architect and founder of Daachi foundation which is a non-profit organization that promotes the art and crafts of Pakistan. The Foundation sponsors artisans, especially those from far-flung areas, and provides stalls free of cost. Daachi provides a platform for small-scale entrepreneurs and budding artists to promote friendly lifestyles.
Nusrat Hidayatullah
Fitness Coach
Nominee
Nusrat Hidayatullah is a health and fitness coach as well as the executive director of the 42 days challenge. A lawyer by profession, nusrat co-founded her company three years ago in Karachi. Today, the 42 days challenge hosts multiple workouts across three of the country’s major cities.
Sanam Marvi
Singer
Nominee
Sanam Marvi is a Pakistani folk and sufi singer. She debuted at ‘Virsa Heritage’, a programme on PTV. She has appeared at Coke Studio, a Pakistani television series featuring live music performances. Marvi performs sufi concerts around the world and she is considered among the finest performers in the Sufi, ghazal and folk genres. She made her debut in a solo performance at 2010's Jahan-e-Khusrau, the Sufi music festival.
Zar Aslam
Environmentalist
Nominee
A Pakistani environmentalist Zar Aslam, president of Pakistan’s non-profit Environment Protection Fund, initiate the pink rickshaw campaign to empower the women of Pakistan. This project was initially launched in Lahore in 2015 with the aim of providing women a chance to travel with comfort and at the same time providing them a financial independence they need. The objective of pink rickshaw is to change the role and visibility of women in Pakistan. To remove the social obstacles that keeps women from going into male dominated profession to earn a living.
LADIESFUND® Momentum Award (People's Choice Award)
The LADIESFUND® Momentum Award acknowledges a woman who is mid-career. She has made a significant impact to the nation with her entrepreneurship skills and over time her business has grown and expanded and continues to go from strength to strength. This is a People's Choice Award.
Simi Kamal
Geographer
Winner
Simi Kamal was the Founding Chairperson of Hisaar Foundation. A geographer trained at the University of Cambridge, she has 35 years of experience in the water, environment, and women development sectors. She is the founder of several national private and non-profit organizations and numerous international and national networks and initiatives. She currently heads the USAID- supported Gender Equity Program (GEP) of Aurat Foundation.
Fiza Farhan
Energy Entrepreneur
Nominee
Fiza Farhan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Buksh Foundation and the Director of Buksh Energy Pvt Ltd (the sister concern co-founded in 2009). She holds honoree titles of Co-Chairperson Italian Development Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan, She was also nominated as the “Future Energy Leader” at the World Energy Council. Distinguished US magazine Forbes has included her, in its list of 30 under 30 social entrepreneurs for 2015.
Huma Adnan
Fashion Designer
Nominee
Huma adnan has a professional degree in marketing, she was the force that carried her husband, Amir Adnan’s label to rising new heights. The House of Amir Adnan grew from strength to strength and in 2005, Huma stepped into fashion designing with her own brand, FnkAsia. It won’t be wrong to say that FnkAsia is the pioneer of fusion wear in Pakistan inspired by tribal prints and vintage embroidery and stands true to its aesthetics many years on.
Rabia Zuberi
Sculptor
Nominee
Rabia Zuberi, Pakistan’s premier woman sculptor and the recipient of numerous national awards, has dedicated her life to art and art education in Pakistan. The principal of the Karachi School of Art, Rabia received her art education in 1963. Making her home in Karachi and finding no art school in the city, Rabia with her sister Hajra, and aided by Mansur Rahi, opened the Karachi School of Art.
Fiza Ali
Movie Producer
Nominee
Fiza Ali is the producer of “Na Maloom Afraad”, which is the biggest blockbuster of 2014 in Pakistan and also one of the highest grossing film of almost 12 crore rupees.
Sanam Marvi
Singer
Nominee
Sanam Marvi is a Pakistani folk and sufi singer. She debuted at ‘Virsa Heritage’, a programme on PTV. She has appeared at Coke Studio, a Pakistani television series featuring live music performances. Marvi performs sufi concerts around the world and she is considered among the finest performers in the Sufi, ghazal and folk genres. She made her debut in a solo performance at 2010's Jahan-e-Khusrau, the Sufi music festival.
LADIESFUND® Woman of the Year
The LADIESFUND® Woman of the Year Award celebrates a woman from any field or walk of life who has made an inspiring and impressive contribution to Pakistan and the image of Pakistan and Pakistani woman both locally and internationally. She is an extraordinary woman who is paving the way for other women to do new and exciting things. This is a People's Choice Award.
Farieha Aziz
Activist
Winner
Farieha Aziz is a Karachi-based, APNS-award winning journalist. She is a co-founder and Director at Bolo Bhi. She has a masters in English literature. She served as an amicus curiae in a case filed in the Lahore High Court in 2013, challenging the ban on YouTube, and is currently a petitioner on behalf of Bolo Bhi in a case filed in the Islamabad High Court challenging government's censorship on the Internet and the powers of the regulator.
Khadija Shah
Fashion Designer
Nominee
Khadijah Shah, the creative force behind the label ÉLAN. Having grown up exposed to her mother’s clothing business, Khadijah developed a keen interest in the world of fashion and sharpened her aesthetic from all the exposure. After completing her studies in London she returned to Pakistan and set about formalization and expending the atelier now known as ÉLAN. As creative director of ÉLAN, Khadijah has been able to create an influential brand and has been much appreciated for the label in the fashion industry.
Mahira Khan
Actress
Nominee
Mahira Khan is a Pakistani Film and television actress and former VJ. She began her career at the age of 16 as a VJ. In 2011, she made her film debut with “Bol” and in the same year she acted in her first television drama. She appeared in television program Humsafar, for which she received positive reviews. According to Eastern Eye. Mahira Khan was ranked among the top 10 sexiest Asian women of 2015 and also the sexiest Pakistani woman of 2015.
Muniba Mazari
Motivational Speaker
Nominee
Muniba Mazari is an artist, an activist, a writer and a motivational speaker. She believes in playing with vibrant colors and flawless portrayal of true emotions. Her work speaks her heart out and is all about people, their expressions, dreams and aspirations. She participated as a motivational speaker at various conferences and forums. She is also a fellow Piscean, and works as an anchor at PTV, the first wheelchair-bound anchor, and also the first wheelchair-bound model for the prestigious Toni&Guy in Pakistan and the brand ambassador for The Body Shop in Pakistan.
Saher Baloch
Journalist
Nominee
Saher Baloch was the only reporter and only female at the gravesite in Balochistan province, and the experience marked a turning point in her professional career. Baloch broke the story for Dawn, Pakistan’s oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper, where she works as feature writer and reporter.
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