Indus Youth Ambassadors — Serving with their Passion

The programme recruits and guides passionate youngsters looking to lead the way towards a promising and healthy tomorrow

Youth is not just a word; it symbolises a dream, idealistic hope, a promise, and an ideal for a prosperous humanity-centric tomorrow. It is a time when children are ready to spread their wings and mark their identity in the world. The youth are agents of change; their inclusion in social matters is pivotal for establishing an empathetic altruistic global society. They have the audacity to dream, the courage to engage, and the conviction to fight for a community free of poverty, inequity, and human suffering. To unleash the power within these untapped champions of change, The Indus Hospital, UAE branch, launched its ‘Indus Youth Ambassador Programme (IYAP)’.

Indus Youth Ambassador Programme is a platform for the zealous young generation to change the destiny of millions in Pakistan and become compassionate, empathetic, and grateful human beings. This inclusive programme is directed by the youth and is driven by their ambitions to create a long-lasting impact in vulnerable lives. IYAP is a holistic programme designed to propel youth engagement in philanthropic endeavors through different means. It acts as a funnel to help our next generation channel their idealism, effusive energy, and creativity in selfless activities into improving the lives of those less fortunate, from even across borders.

Unfortunately, in a developing country like Pakistan, more than 50 per cent of the population does not have access to basic healthcare facilities. The healthcare system of Pakistan is precariously inadequate to meet the healthcare needs of the general population, with only 0.6 beds available for every 1,000 expected patients and only 11.7 doctors available per 10,000 people. This means that more than 110 million people of a 220 million-strong population of Pakistan are being deprived of basic medical care, signifying the need for the overall development of the healthcare system in the country.

Indus Hospital and Health Network (IHHN) aspires to curtail the health disparity that persists in the country through its countrywide network of 13 hospitals, four rehabilitation centres, four regional blood centres, public health initiatives, and primary care clinics across Pakistan. Supported by this extensive network of primary, secondary, and tertiary hospitals and health care facilities, IHHN dispenses free quality medical care to over 5.4 million people every year. The Indus Hospital, UAE branch has been established to support and create awareness about the efforts of IHHN in providing quality healthcare to every patient that sets foot in the facility.

The Indus Hospital UAE branch launched the ‘Indus Youth Ambassador Programme’ in 2021 to raise awareness about the current healthcare scenario in Pakistan and raise funds for the treatment of millions of patients suffering from various healthcare problems (IACAD authorisation No 3754 and 4493). Through a concerted collaboration of ideas, skills, knowledge base, and utilisation of their social media platforms, these young volunteers save innocent lives in Pakistan and inspire other young members of the society to do the same. Our Youth Ambassadors are building capacity to transform into leaders, influencers, and conscientious citizens within their communities by developing critical communication, fundraising, and network-building skills through marketing activities on social media.

Volunteering out of sheer goodwill and selflessness is the backbone of every civil society. It is a collective pursuit towards a community that embodies the aspirations of peace, freedom, equality, justice, and social alleviation.

Indus Youth Ambassadors continue to revolutionise the health landscape of Pakistan despite being thousands of miles away. The programme prides itself in recruiting passionate young volunteers living in different parts of the UAE and provides them with a canvas for engaging in philanthropic activities for the benefit of others. Our dedicated volunteers from Dubai College (Aaditya Nair, Alize Shahbaz Zobairi, Anoushey Saquib, Areesha Ali Fehmi, Ayan Shariff, Eman Ansari, Faris Ahmad, Feeras Ahmed, Mikail Hashmi, Rayan Hasan, Reza Tabba, Sabeen Shariff, Zaina Akram and Zara Ansari), Gems Jumeirah College (Amaan Raza, Anaya Khan, Arhum Kamlani, Danyaal Shahbaz Zobairi, Halimah Anwar, Rayyan Ali Khan Lodhi and Zain Raza), Gems Jumeirah Primary School (Aiza Tumbi, Mohammad Daniyal Khan, Nile Gondal and Ziyad Akram), Gems Wellington International School (Ashar Iqbal Awan, Maya Idris and Zoya Lakhani), Nord Anglia International School (Jibran Hayat and Musa Pervez), Dubai Gem Private School (Muhammad Omer Baig and Muhammad Talal Baig), Dubai International Academy (Muhammad Irtiza Rafique Rana and Muhammad Talha Rafique Rana), Dubai American Academy (Saif Shariff), Kings Dubai Jumeirah (Samiya Saadaat) and JSS International (Riddhi Amit Khandewal) are the true embodiment of the former statement.

Indus Youth Ambassadors of 2021 transitioned as Youth Ambassador Mentors for the new volunteers and are guiding them to their best abilities. These mentors from Dubai College (Ayaan Ehsan, Amani Tumbi, Azlan Shah, Haya Kashan, Faris Saadaat and Zahraa Muhammad) Gems Jumeirah College (Pareysa Ahmed), Jebel Ali School (Saniya Hasan and Samar Hasan), Gems Wellington International School (Sophya Mashkoor) and Jumeirah English Speaking School (Taha Siddiqi) are mere examples of the zeal that drives our volunteers to overcome physical limitations and prove that kindness goes beyond borders by ensuring the provision of quality healthcare for the underserved. The impact of the work of these mentors has established a legacy and is serving as a blueprint and inspiration for others to follow.

The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible and achieve greatness in the process. The Indus Youth Ambassador Programme works on the same principle and provides young students the opportunity to let their creativity flow without barriers and develop core values of empathy, collective growth, introspection, and gratitude, thereby ensuring a robust social fabric for the future through different online means