AFSANA - OUR STORIES
Putting the important stories at the forefront
A Social Justice Project and Magazine
Connecting students and journalists on the ground in Pakistan to the most important people in Pakistan: the workforce. The house help, the cobblers, the fruit sellers amongst others, without whom our lives would be put on hold. We want their stories brought to the forefront.
*Please note that the section of the website where the project stories are collected, is currently under editing and will be up again soon, 'yaadein' and other stories from the diaspora are still available*
ABOUT US AND HOW TO GET INVOLVED
The core essence of Afsana - Our Stories is to amplify the voices of the workforce in Pakistan through collaboration with local writers and journalists in Pakistan. Volunteers on ground in Pakistan play a crucial role in helping us getting stories, documenting them, and publishing them.
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Another element of Afsana, which is more globalised is our Magazine Section. We use this space to amplify South Asian voices across the world on topics such as culture/art and reflections on South Asia.
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We also have a book club, where we meet virtually every week and focus on discussing works by diaspora writers.
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Currently, due to COVID -19, we have put our on groundwork with journalists and the workforce on hold. Instead, we are publishing articles/comment pieces on South Asia. If you would like to write for us, please email us at afsanaourstories@gmail.com, fill in this google form with an idea or message us on Instagram @afsanaourstories to take things further.
MEET THE TEAM
The Team includes the Founder and Editor. The Leads team, which is based in Pakistan and in charge of coordinating on groundwork. The final team is the Sub Editorial Team which includes those specialising in fiction and non-fiction editing.
SYEDA MAAH-NOOR ALI
FOUNDER ANDÂ EDITOR
Maah-Noor is a final year English undergraduate at Oxford University. Having been involved in writing poetry and journalism from a young age and having been published by major UK platforms she hopes to take her love for social justice and writing by putting them together. This is how Afsana was born. On her regular trips to Pakistan, she took the time to really get to speak to people that were otherwise overlooked, it hit her that these people made up the majority of the country but had a minority voice - she wants them to be given the recognition they deserve and change the narrative around the workforce.
ALI HAMZA
KARACHI LEAD
Ali Hamza, is a 2nd-year medical student at BMU and a freelance photographer that has been into photography from a very young age. He has ever since worked with multiple leading brands and organisation of Pakistan and has gotten the chance to explore the different sides of Karachi. One of his latest prints on Karachi was put up at International Public Art Festival 2020. Afsana is very close to his heart because he feels very passionately about the people of Karachi because he feels like they have so many amazing stories to tell which could change lives and make the world a better space for us all. He can't wait to put stories up here.
SAMIHA MOHSEN
EDITORIAL TEAM
CO - NON FICTION EDITOR
Samiha is a Historian at LMH, Oxford University in her second year. She is really interested in understanding why the world is the way it is today: what the forces are that created inequality and injustice, and how education can help to create awareness and change. People are the centre of any type of historical study: understanding them and their lives, how they have been impacted in several ways by several forces. To give people the recognition they deserve and to give their lives a voice she feels is very important.
ALINA SALAHUDDIN
EDITORIAL TEAM
CO - NON FICTION EDITOR
Alina is a first-year history and economics student at Oxford University, and, being an avid reader, strongly believes in the power of written word to enforce positive change. Spending time in a variety of public spaces - as a tour guide in old parts of her hometown Karachi, as a part-time teacher at a public elementary school, as part of acting amateur acting crews for local theatre productions- has made her realise the importance of inclusion and diversity in community effort. She profoundly believes in Afsana’s commitment spotlighting contributions of the working class and ordinary citizens, and its dedication to a true grassroots movement.
MALAIKA JALALI
EDITORIAL TEAM
CO -Â FICTION EDITOR
Malaika is a second-year History and French undergraduate at Oxford University. An avid writer, she is a designated contributor to Oxford’s style and music magazine. She also contributes to various other publications with her art and is a non-fiction and fiction editor for an online Oxford publication. Her interest in Afsana comes from how she feels that previously ignored voices need a platform to be heard, and how it is essential to ensure the backbone of society are listened to and acknowledged.
JEEVAN RAVINDRAN
EDITORIAL TEAM
CO -Â Â FICTION EDITOR
Jeevan Ravindran is a final year undergraduate at Oxford University studying French and Spanish. With print and video journalism experience in student publications and Reuters news agency in Paris and Madrid, she uses her journalism to highlight social justice issues. She is also a passionate human rights activist, having worked for organisations such as Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, and believes that the media gives us a chance to speak out and demand a fairer world. She is excited to be a part of Afsana, using journalism to encourage creativity, orchestrate change and educate.
