Mahroo’s Story

My name is Mahroo and I am an Australia Awards Scholar from Pakistan studying a Master of Development Studies at The University of Melbourne. I am a passionate civil servant, determined to do my part to contribute towards the development and progress of my country. My philosophy of life is simple, though outdated in today’s world of marketing and communications: ‘actions speak louder than words’.

After graduating in pharmacy, I started my career as a pharmacist. My first appointment was in a public hospital in a small town, where I worked for eight months before switching to the civil service. Working as a pharmacist, I recognised the shortage of resources and the mismanagement of available resources. The hospital had a small budget in which it had to ensure 24/7 provision of essential medicines. In doing so, I had to trade off the provision of free medicines for outpatients to the availability of emergency medicine. As the hospital was servicing poor patients who lacked money to purchase medicines, the provision of free medicine was vital for their health and wellbeing.

So I initiated a medicine bank with the help of fellow colleagues and local philanthropy. Through that bank, I was able to offer free medicine to patients. Soon I realised that I was working on a small scale, that these problems were structural in nature and, to make a difference, I needed to be at the helm of policy-making. Therefore I sat the Central Superior Service (CSS) Exam, a highly competitive exam conducted annually to select future civil servants.

After joining the civil service, I served in public affairs and policy positions at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Ministry of Textile Industry, Ministry of Commerce and the Benazir Income Support Programme. Working in these ministries as a public affairs officer to the responsible minister blessed me with the opportunity to make a difference and serve my people.

During my tenure at the Benazir Income Support Programme, I worked on policies related to the empowerment and financial inclusion of the poorest women. This made me develop an interest in gender and social protection that brought me here to The University of Melbourne to study development studies.

In November last year, when I was preparing to leave for Australia, I was worried about my accommodation. The thought of being alone and away from my family in a foreign land stressed me a lot. Safety and comfort were the prerequisites that I was looking for, so I booked myself to stay at Graduate House. It soon became my home in Melbourne with its warm welcome, ease and warmth.

Living at Graduate House has been wonderful, especially the communal living experience which has been really supportive. It was great to have fellow residents around when I felt a bit low, was missing home or felt stressed under the burden of assignments. Melbourne, best known for its diversity, has offered much to my passion of ‘learning’. The energy of Melburnians has introduced me to a new outlook on life.

I am excited to take this learning back home and to have it impact positively on the things that matter the most to me.