Celebrating womanhood, the ladies present at the occasion highlighted the need for fellow women to realise that a miracle lies within themselves. PHOTO: PUBLICITY
The event, which took place at Café Flo, epitomised femininity. The guests embraced the welcoming ambience that was defined by red roses, delicious hors d’oeuvres and a sense of empowerment.
Celebrating womanhood, ladies present at the occasion highlighted the need for fellow women to realise that a miracle lies within themselves and that the highs and lows of life help unveil the real them.
The top 10 women labelled as miracle mentors will counsel ten women each, making the numbers grow to a 100 digits. The campaign is slated to begin in April this year.
While speaking at the event, actor-entrepreneur Atiqa Odho, who has been selected as a miracle mentor, said, “I am honoured to be here. We can see such amazing women in our own homes; women who are a part of our lives. They are surely the role models.” “When a woman goes out to work, it’s a tremendous movement in itself. We have been given a chance to empower other women, so let’s use it wisely.”
Another miracle mentor, hairstylist Saeeda Mandviwalla commented, “I feel humbly appreciated for mentoring other women. This will certainly give them an opportunity to achieve their goals.” Mandviwalla shared how she grew her two-member team in 2003 to a 16-member team today.
Samina Peerzada too, has been chosen as a miracle mentor. Although she was not present at the event, she sent across her message that was played on the screen. She stated, “I am very surprised that I have been asked to mentor other women, but I am all too happy about it.” “It’s a pleasure to see my own two daughters grow up, ready to move ahead in life.”
“If you have set your heart to something, then it is possible for you to achieve it. You should be very passionate about it,” she added. Peerzada said that she has never jeopardised her personal and occupational life and has always tried her best to strike a balance between the two. Designer Shamaeel Ansari said, “A miracle is not an occurrence that you wait for. It is a change of perception, and I hope women realise that and make this change.”
Empowering:
Pond’s top 10 miracle mentors are:
1. Anila Weldon (entrepreneur)
2. Atiqa Odho (actor, director and entrepreneur)
3. Maheen Kardar Ali (designer)
4. Rukaiya Adamjee (stylist)
5. Saeeda Mandviwalla (hairstylist)
6. Samina Peerzada (actor and director)
7. Shai (chef)
8. Shamaeel Ansari (designer)
9. Tasneem Nakhoda (cosmetologist)
10. Vaneeza Ahmed Ali (former model)
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (13)
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i think these females will recruit more females... 100 regular females... doctors and teachers etc
keep in mind that PONDS is the sponsor for the campaign, and it is a beauty product so they naturally would like to reap some benefits out of it, if our honored surgeons, Ph.Ds, academicians and scientists dont come forward with similar ideas, we should appreciate at least those who are..this is a great opportunity at least someone will benefit, so appreciated.
These ladies may indeed be mentors or idols for their followers of the industry, however my humble view is that real mentors and idols of our lives are our daily life teachers; imparting knowledge and wisdom to millions of minds while running their households for meager salaries in our country, mothers (whether they are working women or house wives); whose "natural responsibility" is to raise kids, kids who shape the future pf our world, teach them values and take care of the husbands and in- laws all at the same time whether they are working or not, nurses; who tend to us, clean our filth & bear our outburst and the passes made on them by all levels of staff, every single day of the year and still bear the sarcasm of the society, the maids in our houses; who bear constant criticism of the "rich Bajis" of our society, eat & wear our left overs, get beaten by their "ghar walas", face a daily risk of losing their jobs and are still expected to be passionate about cleaning the dirty dishes and keep the smiles, sales reps; whether its hot or cold, rainy or windy, they keep knocking door to door, sometimes threatened, sometimes shouted upon, sometimes treated like beggers, expecting someone to buy the product so that they can take the daily wage to their home, the scientists, researchers, authors, reporters, bankers, doctors, engineers, etc. These are the women who can teach us not only how to survive in a male dominated society with minimal resources, support and intense competition and opposition, but also how to rise and shine. Please give it a thought for the sake of our country's better future and fair recognition to the ones who truly deserve it.
I agree with all of the above and if this was meant to be glamour specific then it should have said so. All these women are fabulous in their own right but do not meet the requirements of a miracle mentor.
Excuse me but who r these ladies.....educationists and doctors r the actual Mentors of our society.God save the society whose mentors include people models and how many of among them running their married life successfully . I don't think non of them.So those who cant run their family system then how these fashion models can become our mentors. Tribune for God sack .
these are all PONDS mentors. PONDS is a beauty company. these are all women making a living out of the beauty/fashion/television industry. makes sense to me.
Asalamoalikum,
I personally don't think these are our role models, they are for TV & entertainment purpose but as a role model i don't want my daughters to become these. Being socialized makes you role model, is not good criteria.
We find our role models in sahabiyat as a muslim & for non muslims also. because they (umahatul-momeen & sahabiyaat) were perfect.
Islam presents women as a role model
Regards Saleha
If these are the "top" women "mentors" we can think of, it indeed reflects a society that needs to re-visit the definitions of 'mentors' and 'ideals'. These women may have done wonders in life, but it's an overstatement to categorize them as mentors. I thought mentors were individuals, people look up to, due to their singular achievements in different walks of life. Mentors should be people who have given something back to the society. Mentors are people viz-a-viz who the society has a unified uncontroversial opinion. Etc etc etc .........
Food for thought - a society will fall in disarray which doesn't know the meaning of the word mentor. We should focus our thoughts in the right direction. Ideals and mentors give a clear indication of what is given importance in a society.
Lets not mix glamour/celebrity with mentor/ideal.
Thanks
There is a medical doctor among the 10 mentors; Dr. Tasneem Nakhoda.
Ridiculous. All in fashion and style. No PhDs, research students, scientists or any other profession. And what have these women particularly done?