Actor and philanthropist Salma Hayek unveiled the documentary Humaira: The Game Changer, which chronicles the life of a Pakistani education advocate Humaira Bachal, at the Women’s Forum Global Meeting in Deauville, France.
The conference, which was attended by several female leaders in the fields of business, science, education and human rights, supported the mission to strengthen “women influence throughout the globe”.
Before screening the documentary, the After the Sunset actor spoke in great detail about her desire and mission to bring justice to women around the globe through her philanthropic efforts.
Humaira Bachal
Salma Hayek founded the ‘Chime for Change’ charity organisation with singer Beyonce and Frida Giannini, the creative director of Gucci, a year, ago. In just over a year the charity organisation has launched a film to ensure that the conversation about women’s rights remains current.
The documentary, Humaira: The Game Changer, follows Pakistani education advocate Humaira Bachal as she fulfils her dream of creating a ‘Dream Model Street School’ in the slums of Karachi, Pakistan, where education for girls is considered a taboo.
“The Dream School has changed the lives of hundreds of children. Every girl deserves to go to school, regardless of where she was born,” said Madonna, who appeared onstage with Humaira at the Sound of Change Live concert last year.
The singer further added, “Humaira is a freedom fighter. She is a hero for these girls and an example for all of us,” reported Daily Mail.
During an emotional moment in the new documentary, 28-year-old Humaira says, “It feels like we have moved from a site of ruins into a palace.”
The 18-room Dream Model Street School was completed in summer 2014, and includes a playground, library and computer lab. The school enables nearly 1,000 local girls and boys to pursue education, and provides job opportunities for local women as teachers and assistants.
According to Huffington Post, the documentary has been directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker; Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Chinoy who herself is a renowned human rights activist and documentary filmmaker won an Academy Award for her documentary film Saving Face.
The actor said that she was motivated to fight for women’s rights after witnessing a disturbing incident at the age of six. She recalled that she saw a man beating up his own wife, while walking down the streets in Mexico City with her parents.
When Salma’s father crossed the street to help the young lady, she started beating up her father, saying, “How dare you, he can do what he wants,” she told Daily Mail. Her Charity Chime for Change promotes education, health and justice for girls and women around the world.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2014.
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COMMENTS (16)
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We proud of u humaira. You r doing a great job for your people's future
Great way to highlight and bring awareness to such an important issue.
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
@Candid1: The cases you point out are THE EXCEPTION and certainly not the rule. Your argument is a ' smoke screen ' devised to bolster a battered ego more than the factual picture of the sad plight of education for women that actually exists in Pakistan.
It is heartening to see that such positive steps are taken by all women team.
@Sana khan: My point exactly that the actress influenced Ms. Chinoy to have the courage to work on something positive for this hapless helpless country
lion King read the article! The film is directed by our Oscar winner!
@Candid1: Spot on!
@Ranjha: There has to be the name of Islam in a negative narrative involved to attract the attention of Nobel committee
At least she presented something positive from Pakistan unlike our Oscar drooling Pakistani pseudos for whom the easy way to fame is by presenting Pakistan the ugliest way possible to the world
Not sure where everyone in the world is getting the idea that it is taboo for girls to get education in Karachi. The poor and downtrodden classes are making sure that their girls get at least primary education to help in their marriages because of the problems they themselves faced when moving to a big city. Being close to this issue I can safely say that people are being misguided to get attention to this case the wrong way. But come to think of it getting any attention anyway is fine with me. Just want these women to get educated. Every single hero like Humaria helps.
Encouraging Love you Salma...
Bold Hummera; We are with you always...........
It should give us lots of pride of our citizens, the nation of Pakistan could do wonders if given the change, congratulations to Humaira for job well done. Education of all the citizens is the salvation for the country, it is sad that Pakistan lacked the leadership since the death of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, majority of those who came after his death were concerned for their own selves and not the nation, they neglected the education then and even now it is being neglected all over Pakistan except K-P, it seems K-P has the agenda to improve the education of it's province. Thank you Humaira for your heroic efforts to educate these kids in the down trodden localities of Karachi.
Building of schools for girls or boys is always a progressive step, however educating girls in Pakistan is NOT considered a taboo! The only people who are against educating girls are the terrorists, who are a miniscule minority, though capable of inflicting enormous damage. Pakistan has been fighting these terrorists for years, and will continue to do so until they are finished.
If educated women were considered a taboo in Pakistan, Pakistanis would not have elected a female Prime Minister, the speaker of its parliament would not have been a female, nor would have been the head of its State Bank, nor a general in its Army.
Throwing out such inaccurate statments only reinforces the inccurate stereotype of the country which its enemies love to exploit.
Will the Nobel committee ever give a prize to her who has actually done loads fir women's education in Pakistan? As Selma would say: no way, Jose!
Let's all do Malala, Malala, Malala.......
Salma Hayek.........love you even more.