ApnaKaam

I started ApnaKaam in 2019 as an independent youth programme in Pakistan, focused on practical digital skills, online work and small-business opportunities.

The idea was simple: learning a digital skill only matters if a student can see how to use it in the real world. Through the programme, I trained around 25 students and worked with them on practical digital skills and real client-oriented projects.

Ten students went on to start earning through online work or business. I still have screenshots and public success stories documenting some of those outcomes.

Learning through real work

I wanted ApnaKaam to be more than a classroom-style training programme. Students were encouraged to apply what they learned to real projects, understand client expectations and explore how digital skills could become a route into freelancing, online work or entrepreneurship.

Faisal Latif, who was working in research commercialisation and business incubation at Mirpur University of Science and Technology, visited the ApnaKaam office and saw students working on real projects.

Training becomes meaningful when students can turn what they learn into real work and real opportunities.

Although the programme closed, the experience shaped how I think about education and community work: practical guidance is most useful when people can apply it immediately and see a clear path from learning to opportunity.