Anjum Malik of Global Impact Initiative on Her Lifelong Support to Underprivileged Communities Around The World
Prestel and Partner Ltd - London, UK
by Marta Colombo
“For the better part of her decades-long career, Anjum Malik has worked to build an unwavering commitment to positive change on a global scale. Always Envisioning a better world, Malik is a driving force behind transformative initiatives that leave an indelible mark on societies around the world.
As a dedicated leader and Executive Director of Global Impact Initiative (Gii), Malik has collaborated with global leaders to serve underprivileged communities with a focus on sustainability, equality, and innovation.
Here, Malik discusses her multifaceted background and mission and exclusively shares a few memorable experiences.
For those who don’t know you, tell us about yourself and your professional background.
‘Education has always been a cornerstone of my life. Raised in India, my parents instilled in me a deep appreciation for learning as the key to a better life, both materially and morally. In 1980, my husband and I founded the HOFT Institute, an educational services provider based in Austin, Texas. Over the last four decades, the HOFT Institute has served approximately 190,000 students from at least 60 countries.
In 2009, I expanded my commitment to education by co-founding the Alhambra-US Chamber. Designated as a chamber of commerce and named after a beautiful 13th-century fortress built by the Muslim rulers of Spain, this NGO focuses on fostering global educational partnerships, particularly in the Middle East.
While I have always been committed to education and partnering with multicultural students to improve life circumstances through education, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic occurred that I felt a calling so strong, that I had to respond. This calling has now helped shape the course of my life and the lives of hundreds of refugees coming to America. During the COVID pandemic, it became clear that vulnerable populations worldwide suffered not only from exposure to direct health risks but even more profoundly - from the loss of access to education and sustainable employment opportunities.
There were no classes handing out chrome books and diverting to online education in many parts of the world. There were no stimulus checks, there were no Small Business loans or employment sustained through Payroll Protection Programs like those in the United States. Around the world, people were suffering the devastating consequences of not being able to provide for their families. They traded one crisis for another, as health risks were mitigated but families reached epic levels of devastation. That is what inspired me to launch the Global Impact Initiative (Gii).
It was soon after that that I began working directly with the refugee population. The timing was perfect, as shortly after starting GII the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan, and families emigrated to the U.S. in search of safety. Many escaped the Taliban and fled due to prior alignment with the U.S. Military or the Afghan National Security Forces. Families arrived here desperate, looking for help, support, and the desire to acclimate to a new country, learn the language, and develop skills to secure employment. From there, the war in Ukraine resulted in thousands of families displaced due to war, fleeing in search of a better life.
My life is now GII, and there is still so much to do. Our backgrounds and our experiences lead us down a path where everything culminates at the right point in time. For me, that point was forming Gii and now there is much more work to be done.’”
(includes photo)
