Leadership, Power and Politics: Tanzeela Qambrani

"I have always wanted to shine. I decided at the very beginning of my journey that I would change the perception of my community being regarded as slaves. As I won and moved forward, I could see the disappointment in the eyes of those who wanted to maintain the status quo - but I was unstoppable. I learned to pick up the very stones that were thrown at me and turn them into the foundations of my success."

Tanzeela Qambrani is an activist, a computer scientist, and a politician. She belongs to the often overlooked and exploited Sheedi community of Pakistan. The Sheedis trace their lineage to Africa, from where their ancestors were enslaved, shipped to Asia and sold into human bondage. Tanzeela Qimbrani is the first African-Pakistani woman to be elected as Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) in Sindh. Tanzeela earned her MSc. in Computer Science from University of Sindh, Jamshoro, and has been actively involved in promoting equality throughout her career. She has also been awarded many accolades including from the Sindh Devolved Social Service Programme for outstanding performance.