HUMA EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Sometimes real change does not begin with large systems, policy plans or international programs. Sometimes it begins with a name. A face. A story that touches your heart and stays with you.

It is from this conviction that the Huma Education Foundation was born. Because education is so much more than knowledge alone. It creates opportunities, opens perspectives and offers hope for a future that might otherwise remain out of reach. The name Huma refers to the bird of fortune and the bird of paradise, a mythical bird that symbolizes happiness, resilience and a new future.

The foundation is led by myself, Sabrina Leeuwenburgh and Marion Berndsen. Three women with different backgrounds but a shared mission: to give young people in Pakistan the opportunity to develop their talents and fulfill their dreams.

Sabrina has a background in International Business and Languages from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences and brings extensive experience from the healthcare sector. She works as an advisor in healthcare contracting and sales, program management and policy development. Her strategic insight and organizational expertise provide a strong and professional foundation for the organization.

Marion runs an educational institute for mental development programs, works as a medium, writes a regular column for a women's Dutch magazine and has published several books. Through her Pakistani husband, she maintains a direct connection with the local community. These personal relationships allow us to work without intermediaries, ensuring that every contribution reaches the students who need our support directly.

Although our backgrounds differ, we share the same belief: education is one of the most powerful ways to create lasting change in people's lives.

What began as the sponsorship of three girls through Pavone quickly grew into something much bigger than we had ever imagined. Not only because their stories touched us, but because they demonstrate what becomes possible when someone is given an opportunity. Their dreams deserve the chance to become reality, just like the dreams of many other young people and children who possess talent, ambition, and determination.

In Pakistan, access to education is far from guaranteed for many students. Studying requires not only motivation and commitment but also financial resources that are often unavailable. This is where the Huma Education Foundation aims to make a difference. Not through large-scale projects from a distance but through personal involvement and direct support. Small-scale, transparent and human-centered.

The stories of these young women form the heart of our foundation.

Huma, after whom the foundation is named, is studying to become a clinical psychiatrist. Her education requires years of discipline, perseverance, and dedication. She has already completed the majority of her studies and has only three years remaining. Yet her dream nearly fell apart when financial support disappeared. The pressure and uncertainty became so overwhelming that she experienced panic attacks and feared that her future, so close to the finish line, would still slip away.

It is precisely in moments like these that the Huma Education Foundation finds its deepest purpose. The support we provide is not only financial but also human. It offers peace of mind, confidence and the reassurance that someone is standing beside you when you cannot carry the burden alone.

Mariam dreams of becoming a doctor. Her ambition is great and her determination even greater. Eraaj, the youngest of the three, dreams of a future in the Air Force. Three young women with different dreams but the same determination to shape their own futures.

To preserve this personal involvement, the foundation consciously chooses a small-scale approach. Communication lines are short, contact is direct and every contribution is fully dedicated to education, personal development and future opportunities.

What begins as support for a handful of students can ultimately reach much further. Education does not only change one person's life. Its impact extends to families, communities and future generations. It builds confidence, creates independence and opens doors that might otherwise remain closed.

For me, this foundation feels like a natural part of entrepreneurship. True entrepreneurship is not only about growth, revenue or success. The circle is only complete when you are able to give back. When you use what you have built to positively influence the lives of others. Not only from a business perspective, but from a sense of involvement, responsibility and purpose. That is where the true meaning of sustainable entrepreneurship begins for me.

Sometimes I wonder: what would happen if every entrepreneur supported a student, a family or a dream? What if everyone dedicated a small part of their success to helping someone else move forward? The world would look fundamentally different. More beautiful. More compassionate. Full of opportunity. Not because one person changes everything but because thousands of small acts of kindness can create an enormous impact together.

The Huma Education Foundation believes that true impact is not measured by numbers but by attention and care. By continuing to see the person behind the student. By understanding that sometimes a dream only needs a small amount of support to become reality.

With love,

Janneke