Seeds of Change: Visit to Sheikhupura. Cultivating communication, leadership and EQ skills

On Friday, October 11, 2024, CBS in collaboration with LUMS Consultancy Group visited Moawin Foundation’s facility in Sheikhupura. With a unified mandate of creating sustainable societal impact by empowering girls and women on grassroot levels, CBS, LCG & Moawin Foundation embarked on what was a day filled with knowledge-sharing, excitement and humbling interactions. 

The session aimed at inculcating key soft skills that included communication, team work, negotiation skills, teamwork and how to tackle hardships through EQ development. 38 girls enrolled in the school and vocational center at Moawin Foundation’s facility in Sheikhupura gathered, eager to learn something different—unlocking the power of soft skills that would not just help them in school, but shape how they interact with the world.

We started with an ice-breaking session, where everyone wrote down their hobbies and future aspirations and on pieces of paper created planes out of them! Then, we moved on to communication. Through fun activities, the girls practiced how to speak and communicate effectively and listen to each other. They laughed as they realized how easily a message can change if we don’t take the time to understand one another or communicate properly. 

Next came negotiation, which sparked excitement as the girls took turns in groups roleplaying on how to negotiate the selling of a pen. Negotiation, they realized, is not about winning or losing; it’s about finding a way for everyone to walk away feeling satisfied.

We also explored emotional intelligence and team work. This segment included various role-playing and interactive activities that spurred the girls to think on their own feet. The groups deliberated on what companies they would want to launch and how they would synergize their skills and resources for efficient team work. 

By the end of the session, the classroom was buzzing with excitement and reflection. These girls weren’t just learning soft skills; they were discovering new ways to connect, lead, and care for those around them. They walked out with tools that would help them build stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, and understand themselves better, not just today, but for years to come!