Kainat Riaz
When Education Becomes a Lifelong Mission
For Kainat Riaz (AC’17), education has always represented far more than academic success. She grew up in Pakistan's Swat Valley during a period when the Taliban sought to ban girls from attending school, targeting classrooms, intimidating teachers and families and violently opposing girls' education. Going to school became an act of courage as much as one of learning.
“Education was always important to me and my family,” she recalls. “My parents strongly believed that both girls and boys deserved the opportunity to learn and build a better future through education.”
In 2012, Kainat’s world changed forever when she was shot alongside her friends Shazia Ramzan and Malala Yousafzai. The attack deepened her resolve.
“Although I always valued education, I started speaking up and raising my voice more publicly after I was shot. That experience changed my life and made me realise even more deeply how important education is.”
In 2013, Kainat arrived at UWC Atlantic with support from the UWC Movement and former British PM Gordon Brown and his wife, Sarah.
Moving across the world and mastering English was overwhelming, but the community embraced her. Arriving at Atlantic College was both exciting and overwhelming. Everything was new: the language, culture, weather, food and the experience of living away from home for the first time. Learning English was a particular challenge, and it took nearly a year before she felt confident enough to keep up fully with her academic work. Yet the support she received from teachers and friends helped her persevere. “Even though English was not my first language, they never made me feel different,” she notes. “They welcomed me, supported me, corrected me when I needed help and were always there for me. Their kindness helped me feel that I belonged.”
Through outdoor activities, Kainat faced long-held fears, like swimming and kayaking. “Those experiences helped me overcome fears I had carried for years. They taught me that growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones.”
After graduating from Atlantic College in 2017, Kainat went on to study Healthcare at the University of Edinburgh. Today, she works within the NHS while continuing her advocacy work alongside her professional career. She serves as the Director of Girls’ Education at Beydaar Society and works as a consultant with Theirworld, an organisation that played an important role in supporting her own educational journey.
Today, Kainat's work in healthcare and girls' education embodies that mission. Her story is a powerful example of the ripple effect of a UWC education: not only transforming one individual's life, but empowering that person to create opportunities for others and drive positive change in their communities.
“There is a very direct connection between where I am today and my experience at UWC Atlantic. “The College gave me confidence, leadership skills and the belief that my voice mattered. UWC Atlantic gave me the confidence to dream bigger, the courage to use my voice and the belief that education can change lives.”
