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In strengthening its effort in the United States, the SSO utilizes
its youth ambassadors (a group of young people up to the age of
26 years in Chicago), whose sole mission is to advance Sonia's
agenda. The scholarship provides them with training skills that
are imperative to develop the leadership necessary to further their
mission of making the world a better place. This training enables
them to assist their schools and communities. The SSO Vice
President has asserted that, while obtaining the necessary support
for their voices to be heard, they can inspire confidence in others.
Many women with immense potential are left in the shadows in
many countries. However, SSO youth ambassadors are quite the
opposite; they are given the platform to raise enough concern and
share their viewpoints with the rest of the world. They recently
attended a SCARF event that allowed them to enhance their
leadership and other abilities, for them to demonstrate how they
will use them in the workforce.
Sonia Shah Ambassadors are not only volunteers but also
trained and mentored to become leaders of the future and making
a difference in the world. As one African proverb stated "If you
educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a
woman, you educate a nation." Together, we can support SSO and
her efforts to ensure that everyone is included, valued, and a voice
that is heard in society.

Figure 6: The realities of the Sonia Shah
Organization
Organizations such as SSO are instrumental in combatting
systematic gender inequality through empowerment by way
of access to educational opportunities. The efforts of the SSO
in improving the education of women in Pakistan cannot be
overemphasized. As they endeavor to increase their impact in the
future, they already have achieved success in providing a better
educational environment along with access to many resources.
Without these resources, young women are put at a disadvantage
to succeed in school and advance their education. As SSO
continues to grow and carry out their mission, they aim to increase
the number of scholarships they can provide for women afflicted
by gender inequality and who cannot afford equal education
opportunities.
We are continuing Sonia's legacy through Sonia Shah
Organization, a (501) C3 based in Chicago, Illinois focusing on
educating and empowering underprivileged girls in Pakistan and
in the US. In the village of Kangra Pakistan, the school she started
now has 300 children with over 70% girls. It is the first school in
the district that provides not only free education but also uniforms,
vitamins, and medical check up. It is the first school that has smart
boards, computers, Kindles and 100% electricity from solar power.
Over 150 women have graduated from the Sonia Shah vocational
center. Here in the US Sonia Shah College Scholarship which
provides community or private college tuition to deserving and
underprivileged girls.

28 CHESTER COUNT Y Medicine | SPRING 2020

Figure 8: Students at the Sonia Shah Memorial School
"The road is long but full of hope" Sonia Shah
Changing the World, One Girl at a Time
For more information please email info@
soniashahorganization.com or contact the SSO at 312 479 2458.

Figure 9: Sonia Shah Ambassadors
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