Fariza Ellahi: Empowering Learners, Driving Global Change

Dubai stands at an exciting forefront in education, reimagining what learning can look like. Living here has shown me that education is not only about exams and classrooms, it’s about valuing people and building meaningful connections. I have seen how the city advocates for youth leadership, digital learning, and equal access, encouraging young people like me to take initiative and make an impact across borders.

My journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the world came to a halt. As education systems faced disruption, I refused to let learning stop. I started teaching online to children at an orphanage in Bangladesh. What began as a small effort quickly grew into a global initiative powered by technology, empathy, and youth leadership.

Today, I lead Scholar’s Edge (scholarsedgeedu.com), an educational resource platform for learners everywhere. Under this platform, my Voices of Humanity initiative brings learning into action where students in the UAE and internationally can design lesson plans, teach peers, and see the real world impact of their efforts. The initiative also includes teaching underprivileged students, hosting AI and digital literacy workshops for senior citizens to help them navigate a digital world, and training staff who support underserved communities, to strengthen human services rather than replace them.

Beyond teaching, I amplify youth voices through Fariza’s Corner (farizascorner.com), a newsletter celebrating children’s achievements worldwide while highlighting underprivileged communities often overlooked by mainstream media.

As Dubai invests in innovative education and global collaboration, I see how empowering youth creates bridges between generations, cultures, local roots and global reach. Dubai’s vision on education is not just a framework but a lived experience, visible in communities and the trust placed in young people to lead change. By redefining education through approaches that connect people, ideas, and communities, and by making learning inclusive and accessible, we are not just preparing learners for tomorrow, we are building a better world today.

By Fariza Ellahi