I would not be where I am today without Shahla’s mentorship and generous scholarships that have made my educational journey possible. As a PhD student in the Comparative and International Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University, I am examining access to higher education in the post-Soviet countries. My previous research has looked at educational philanthropy in Azerbaijan. Due to my background as a non-profit manager and debate educator, I see the SGSP as an instrument to empower Azerbaijani women to pursue their educational dreams.

I grew up having Shahla Garayeva as a role model, an aunt who dedicated her life to education and was able to overcome all the possible obstacles to realize the things she believed. I hold a B.A. in Translation and Interpretation (Spanish) from Azerbaijan University of Languages and an M.A in Global Governance, Intercultural Relations and Peace-process Management from the University of Siena. I had a year of exchange studies in Sociology at the Lodz University in Poland. I have 4 years of experience working with NGOs and different international organizations in Azerbaijan and abroad. I am an alumna of a fellowship program at Rondine Cittadella della Pace, an association based in Arezzo, Italy. At the moment, I am working as a project manager at Bruno Kessler Foundation. I am proud to say that somehow I am following my aunt’s path and I am part of a team willing to support and provide an opportunity for young girls to pursue their studies.

Even though I did not have the opportunity to meet Shahla Garayeva in person, I witnessed the positive impact she had on her student’s life. I personally have benefited immensely from educational scholarship programs, and the opportunities these scholarship programs opened for me to realize my potential and pursue my goals. I hold an M.S. in Nonprofit Management, and am currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Business Administration at the University of Massachusetts Boston. It is an honor for me to contribute to extending the kind of positive impact Shahla Garayeva had on the lives of her students to the educational goals of girls in Azerbaijan.

I am digital marketing specialist, currently studying master degree in Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship in Germany. I feel honored to be part of scholarship program dedicated to the memory of Shahla Garayeva who influenced her students’ life positively. We may not realize the importance and impact of even small actions that we take or contributions we make on other people’ life Those deeds can mean a lot and can be turning point in someone’s life, especially once those small efforts are made jointly. Thus, using my professional and interpersonal skills, I aim to increase this awareness and to play a role in increasing the accessibility of higher education for people in need of financial support.

I am a serial entrepreneur, co-founder of several successful businesses in Azerbaijan, Turkey and Ukraine. Currently I am a partner and general manager at Horeca Kyiv LLC, one of the leading companies in Azerbaijan and Ukraine that provides professional cleaning and hygiene products, services and training in the field. All my invested companies are socially responsible and offer employees new perspectives, scholarships and internships to students. In 2013, I’ve initiated and produced a popular TV show Ideya Qazandi (Over 5 years of broadcast on a major Azerbaijani TV channel this award-winning project supported and invested in more than 50 talented young entrepreneurs). I hold an MBA from The London School of Commerce, an Associate College of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (2010) and an MA (2012) and a BA (2008) in Oriental Studies from Baku State University.
It is universally acknowledged that education is an important aspect of life for both genders, but I believe it could be far more beneficial to educate girls. Educated girls can transform communities, they earn higher incomes, participate in the decisions that most affect them, and contribute to more stable and resilient societies. When a girl is given an education, she is more likely to commit to educate her own children and family members.

I’m a TED speaker, children’s book author and founder of the US-based business Krush Dates. When I was 18, after several years of hard work and preparation, I was selected by the US Department of State as one of the 16 students to study one exchange year at a US college. This one year of US education completely changed the course of my life. After graduating, I pursued a Master’s degree at Uppsala University in Sweden, then worked in the US and currently live in New York with my family. Education has been the best shortcut to achieving my dreams. Therefore, I’ve always been passionate about empowering girls through education. It’s an honour to be a part of the Shahla Garayeva Scholarship Fund and support and mentor so many girls to realize their dreams through education.