My name is Insha Akram, and I am from Kashmir. I am raising funds to help me pursue a Masters’ degree in Urban Planning at University at Buffalo, an opportunity of a lifetime for me.

Growing up in Kashmir, my education suffered due to the political situation just like any other student. However, my family's financial situation and my health made my struggle even harder. I was bedridden for many months in 12th grade so I was unable to attend classes even when the situation was “normal.” I had chosen science courses (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Science) but because of my condition, everyone thought that I was going to fail. Against all odds, I passed 12th grade with the highest distinction. It became a huge morale boost, and I went on to complete my Bachelors’ in Science and my health had also improved considerably. 

I was excited about life after college, however, I had graduated at the cusp of an 8-month long shutdown in Kashmir. All opportunities within Kashmir essentially ceased to exist due to that. It was then that I decided to pivot and pursue an MBA, which I traveled to India. An MBA helped me gain industry exposure, become confident, and explore my potential just as I hoped. I knew that I had to work hard to cope with a new field of studies but I had to also work extra hard to create a space for myself in a completely new culture. Navigating both as a visibly Muslim, young woman was tough but I persevered. During an MBA summer internship, I managed multiple offices of a corporate food chain. I got the opportunity to work with diverse teammates, many of whom were disabled and/or elderly, who had made a return to the workforce after retiring from their previous jobs.  Working alongside those people was inspiring and rewarding, as I tried to make sure that I was providing my teammates with all the support that they needed to succeed. It was also during this time that I started to think of ways to serve my people in Kashmir. As I thought deeply about what I am passionate about, as a Kashmiri woman from an agricultural family, three things came to mind: Kashmir women, agriculture, and occupation.

To me, women are more hardworking than men because not only do many of them work outside the home within the economy, they also manage whole households.  Growing up in Kashmir, I’d seen many women from my extended family work hard in the fields. Unfortunately, their work, although crucial, was unpaid and also the least appreciated. As I began to read up on the issue, I realized that women farmers and their role within Kashmiri food systems had barely been studied and no efforts were being made to improve their position as farmers. Hence, I have decided to dedicate my time to help develop structures that can support Kashmiri women farmers in attaining a more equitable position within the agricultural ecosystems as well as a greater degree of financial freedom.

In Kashmir, the occupation has created macro dependencies. The government encourages cash crops over food crops and that has led to food dependency in Kashmir. Most of the food consumed on a daily basis is coming from other Indian states. In winters, food prices skyrocket when new stock is unable to arrive because of the weather. I intend to use my education to strengthen food systems in Kashmir, with a special emphasis on the experiences of women growers. I would like to help develop food sovereignty and make Kashmir resilient in terms of food production. I would strive to find ways to shift production from cash crops to farming crops like rice and wheat to increase food independence. 

I have received an admission offer at the University at Buffalo and I believe that studying there under the best mentors and highly focused environment will help me become a successful food planner. I will have the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world and hear their ideas. I would like to take those best practices, tools, and lessons back to Kashmir.

The plan for how all the donations will be spent and handled: 

I’ve already received a partial scholarship from the University at Buffalo which includes a $6000  grant for the first year and a $4800 research assistant stipend.

Tuition at the University at Buffalo amounts to $26832, health insurance and fee $1,966.28, accommodation is $4,800, and flight and visa are $1350, and food. So, I still need about $25000. 

Thank you for donating. Please note that GoFundMe charges a fee. If you are concerned about the fees or would like to eliminate them, please feel free to share funds via Venmo at @Fund-for-Insha.  For sending checks and Zelle payments- please request the information.

If/when we receive funds via Venmo, Zelle, or checks, we will reduce the goals here, and also report the amount raised for the sake of transparency.

Thank you!