Shakira
Rahman
01.
What is your professional title, purpose or passion?
I have been made a child CEO of the Humanitarian Charity Penny Appeal but most know me as KIDBOSS. I have been taken on because the charity Penny Appeal want children to have a voice and bring ideas to the table as most of their beneficiaries are children.
03.
What did you want to do when you were a child and what changed?
Well when I was really little I wanted to be a scientist but now I have changed my mind and I want to work with people in helping the world to be a better place whether that’s being an aid worker or a mentor for young people or even working in government, so I can make real changes in people’s lives.
05.
What's the best career advice you've ever been given?
Reach for the sky you can do anything if you put your mind to it
07.
What is the best thing about your current working environment?
Meeting lots of inspirational people especially Adeem (the founder of Penny Appeal) doing humanitarian work is the best feeling and giving back is something we should all aim to do. I also love that my working environment is child friendly! We get to make slime as well…lol.
09.
Where do you see yourself in five years' time?
Doing my A levels and still doing humanitarian work for Penny Appeal but most of all I would hope I have encouraged more children and young people to think about Charity and to get involved.
11.
Tell us more about a charitable organisation or project you think is great.
Well of course that would be Penny Appeal as they’re taking children seriously and are looking at what issues are affecting us. But as a charity Penny Appeal are amazing not only do they operate in 30 countries worldwide but for every project abroad they do a sister project in the UK…so for example for orphan kind project Penny Appeal do we are doing a fostering and adoption programme in the UK. The Feed our World Appeal is also connected with providing Food and Shelter for the Homeless in the UK and it goes on. Penny Appeal are such a great charity and I think lots of charities could learn a thing or two from them!
13.
What drives you?
I think my desire to want to change the way people children…kids are not always given a voice…Penny Appeal have enabled me to speak from the heart and they are listening and taking children’s voices seriously…so this drives me to want to do more.
15.
Any final comments?
Charity is such a rewarding thing to do I would urge everyone to go out and do something charitable however big or small it is you don’t know the difference you could make to someone even a smile is charity….as the Penny Appeal slogan goes Small change big difference
02.
What does a normal day look like for you?
I’m normally at school so very busy learning and educating myself!
04.
What have you achieved that you feel most proud of?
Becoming a Child CEO for Penny Appeal…I am proud of this but I am doing it because I want to make a difference…
06.
Tell us about a a woman who inspires you
Well my mum inspires me everyday as she is hard working and has always taught me to be very independent and speak my mind…but another women who inspires me is Jameela Jamil as she is calling out celebrities that are causing lots of body image issues to young girls…she is standing up for what is right and not afraid to say it and I really respect her for that.
08.
What was your biggest failure?
I don’t think I’m old enough to have experienced proper failure yet…lol.
10.
What do you like most about yourself?
That I see everyone as equal.
12.
How can we make the world more inclusive and accepting?
By listening and not judging and educating people. We need to get to know more about one another and not always listen to what people say.
14.
What skills have been key to your journey so far?
I have been told I have confidence and that I speak up when I feel something…I think that is important if you want your voice heard!