Introducing myself and my journal: Be the change you want to see (Gandhi)

About Me:
Zaahirah is an emerging young Leader involves in the rehabilitation of female heroin addicts and commercial sex workers in the high risk region of Mauritius. She is aggressive in rehabilitation of recovering female addicts who are on Methadone Substitution therapy through empowerment program and psychosocial support. She Quoted: 'Indeed heroin addiction is a major scourge in Mauritius and our country is according to the UNODC Report 2008, the second country worldwide having the highest prevalence of opiate consumption'.

A woman who is victimize by drugs problem is multiple times more vulnerable than man. The social exclusion associated range from a wide gamut of issue: First they are rejected by their own family, marginalize by the society, homeless, they faced all sort of sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological trends, as most of them have kids they are the sole bread winner, struggling to make ends meet, unskilled and unemployed, obviously they are more expose to HIV and they are living in a unhygienic condition. Unfortunately, they are enhancing another unhealthy generation.

As a preventive measures, Zaahirah strongly believe that education is the primary vaccine to overcome the situation. She is struggling to empower young people in leadership skills in high risk region and have been awarded the Youth Excellence Award 2008 in the category of Youth Leadership and her passion for arts has been in the forefront to support the school drop out.

Member of WIN (Women in Network) have been the privilege to be among the first 20 women leaders under the Women in Network Leadership Programme (WLP). It was a great and inspiring endeavor that empower and provide opportunities to broaden our education. She is a concrete product on WIN who is strongly believe in the extreordinary powers of feminism.

Parallel to her social work practice she is a passionate artist painter, Inspired by the contemporary arts, she have developed a knack for the metaphorical . Danced on the white canvas, lost in my own hue, osmosis with repeated patterns, mixed- media using a wide gamut of materials. Her palette is always buzzing with an amalgam of colors.

Zaahirah has a powerful tool as a medium to highlight social ills plaguing society. She always depicts in her paintings a rare sense of ‘reflection, reconnection or celebration’ in a particular way. Her approach is unique due to the fact that she uses the creativity as an awareness raising medium, bordering on philanthropy. Being in the forefront of many social causes with an unflinching social engagement with the downtrodden has been instrumental in making a significant difference to the lives of many vulnerable women and facilitating their empowerment. 

She has hold her fourth solo arts exhibitions and exhibited both at national and international level- in places like Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles, UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi) and London. Her every collection came up with a paramount concept and a strong & crispy message.  

I would like to embarked on this journey to make a difference in the life of my many BEAUTIFUL SISTERS.

My Passions:
Arts and Community works

My Challenges:
How to get more women to voice and stand out

My Vision for the Future:
Empower grass root level women so that they can be self-dependent

My Areas of Expertise:
Motivator