Caring about each other is the spirit of humanity. It is that spirit that we get to see closely from the recent viral story about Ansar Ali, a LUMS waiter who eventually got to study at Szabist. The story begins when some LUMS students had a detailed conversation with Ansar whilst including him in their project titled, Humans of LUMS.
Ansar Ali – The bread earner of the family
As part of that project, they got to know how Ansar had to abandon studies in class 9th, not because he didn’t like it but because his father had passed away and he had to become the breadwinner. Thus, he bade farewell to something that was close to his heart.
Back in 2013, when I was still a student at LUMS, the LUMS Photographic Society was doing a series of profiles on people on campus titled 'Humans of LUMS'. This photo was a part of that campaign, along with the following interview in the caption: pic.twitter.com/Vero3oBFKJ
— Salaar Khan (@Brainmasalaar) April 17, 2021
When the students asked him if he wanted to resume studies, he considered it too late in his timeline. Plus, he also had the responsibilities of his family. At that time, these students were only students even though way more privileged than him. But as students, they couldn’t really afford to help much. So, all they could do was tip generously.
LUMS students start gathering funds
A little more stable in life, LUMS student shares that when they were nearing graduation, they decided to put Ansar back into school.
Fast-forward two years. I was President of the student body & as our tenure drew to an end, we were mulling over a Parting Gift (a loose tradition where the graduating batch would sometimes give back to the campus community). We decided we were going to put Ansar back in school.
— Salaar Khan (@Brainmasalaar) April 17, 2021
It was an ordeal. Much more than what they had expected. It turns out that for him to gain proper education, he first needed to complete school, then intermediate, and then later on the university. Moreover, they had to ensure that his family kept getting the amount at home that Ansar would send from his earnings as a waiter.
From LUMS waiter To SZABIST student
To make all of this possible, they initially made a GoFundMe account. Students would help, as those graduated and got proper jobs, they helped on a bigger scale as well. And others would also pitch in. This way 30,000 per month was possible. With continued help, not only did he clear his intermediate exam with a flying score but also got admitted to Szabist Islamabad on a partial scholarship.
Needless to say, Ansar has come a long long way. And none of this would have been possible without the generosity and support of countless people along the way. But there's one more step – and that's where you can become a part of his journey.
— Salaar Khan (@Brainmasalaar) April 17, 2021
Now, in just two months, this long journey will come to an end with Ansar graduating from Szabist with a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and Finance.
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