From the slums to Harvard~Support Kainat’s journey

• My Background and Why This Funding Matters
  

My name is Kainat Ansari, I am also a TCF alumna. I come from Orangi Town, Karachi - the largest slum in the world. I’m beyond humbled and excited to share that I’ve been accepted into Harvard University’s Master’s in Education Policy and Analysis, with Early Childhood Concentration.

From sitting on the floor of underfunded public schools with broken windows and overcrowded classrooms to becoming the first girl in my community to receive higher education abroad, this journey has been nothing but an epitome of resilience and hard work. My acceptance into Harvard is not just a personal milestone - it is a moment for every child who’s ever been told they can’t dream beyond their zip code.

In 2014, My life took a transformative turn when I enrolled in The Citizens Foundation (TCF), the largest nonprofit providing quality education to underprivileged children in Pakistan. TCF empowered me with knowledge, confidence, and hope for a better future. I matriculated from TCF in 2017,

At the age 16 in 2017, I was awarded a scholarship to study high school in Norway, becoming one of only 14 students chosen out of 2,000 applicants from Pakistan. This was my first time leaving my home country, and it was a life-changing experience that taught me the power of critical thinking, the importance of asking "why," and how to dream beyond mere survival. After completing high school in Norway, I received a full scholarship to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Whitman College in the United States, where my passion for early childhood development and cross-cultural research grew. During my time at Whitman, I was selected to study at the University of Oxford, where I completed two intensive semesters in Clinical and Developmental Psychology.

These experiences shaped my purpose: to work with children with disabilities, particularly those growing up in underserved, misunderstood communities - children like the ones I saw back home who were labeled as “broken” or “possessed,” simply because they were different.

After graduating, I began working as a behavioral health therapist, supporting children with Autism, ADHD, and communication disabilities, many of whom came from racially and economically marginalized backgrounds. I’ve worked with children who are non-verbal, deaf, and often dismissed by mainstream systems.

I’ve been accepted into the Master’s in Education Policy and Analysis (EPA) program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a program designed to equip future leaders with the tools to create meaningful change in education systems. Due to recent funding cuts in education, many scholarships have been reduced or withdrawn. Despite saving consistently and applying widely, I’ve been unable to secure the full amount needed. The program costs over $100,000; with partial scholarships and personal savings, I’ve covered a large portion, but I still need $56,000 to pay my remaining tuition fees.

The Master’s in Education Policy and Analysis, with a focus on Early Childhood Education, is a perfect bridge between my clinical experience and my goal to reform education systems for children with disabilities - not just in Pakistan but globally.

I want to use this education to fill the research and policy gaps that have long excluded neurodivergent children in the Global South. I dream of launching an organization that creates inclusive early education programs, trains teachers and caregivers, and conducts culturally relevant research to inform real policy change. I want to build spaces where children are not punished for being different but celebrated for it.