Their life and actions guarantee the safe existence of others. Thanks to their devotion and courage tens, hundreds, thousands of people were spared a terrible fate. Neither wars nor natural disasters nor terrorism can stop them. In Africa, Middle East, Latin America and other ends of the world they invest not only their time, resources and security but also the most valuable – their life – to make the world a better place to live.
 

Shad Begum is a social worker from Dir Lower, Pakistan. She is the first university-educated female in her family and one of the very few Pakistani women supported in her activism by her father, brothers and husband. Shad’s fight for equal rights began more than 20 years ago, when she founded the Association for Behavior and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT).

“When I see women speaking up for themselves, I see myself being multiplied in many more Shad Begums… The strength is coming from there. Silencing one Shad Begum doesn’t matter now. Nobody can silence the voices of thousands of Shad Begums. When I see that power, I say to myself: “Yes, this is what I live for. This is where courage comes from.”

These people live next to us. They are modern day heroes.