Pakistan has never been short of talented women. But only some make it far enough to make their mark on the world map. Aamna Rahim is one such woman housing unparalleled talents in the arena of advertising. She has been ranked among the top 150 creatives according to campaign brief Asia 2019 and was recently chosen as one of the 10 women in the entire Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region for the See It Be It, Dubai Lynx 2019. After enjoying the stage at Spikes Asia Festival of Creativity in 2017 in Singapore and then the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in 2018 for her accolades in advertising with campaigns like #BeatMe and Bridal Uniform in collaboration with Ali Xeeshan, this year was one that marked an individual achievement for this young creative. See It Be It Dubai Lynx is a programme for female creatives of the MENA region where only 10 female creatives are selected from the region for exclusive workshops, training and networking opportunities. Aamna Rahim was chosen as one of those 10 females who attended the programme, that entailed training with life coaches, one-on-one sessions with the 10 chosen girls, speed mentoring with the advertising industry’s hottest stars and a lot more mind-opening training programmes. Rahim believes that as women, more than often, we tend to forget the magnitude of things we are capable of achieving. She found in this session that this is a problem world over. She’s come back not only a stronger woman but one with faith stronger than ever in the women of this industry, this county and this world. Speaking to Daily Times exclusively, she said, “Pakistan is a place that houses numerous talented women and it’s always an incredible feeling to be acknowledged on international platforms such as these. It’s clear that to get anything, the first step is to truly believe that you’re capable of getting it. Then comes the steps to reach that goal. In Pakistan, women are conditioned to adjust and settle. They do that as an obligation, not putting themselves first. This programme made me realise that it was the most that I’ve ever thought about myself as an individual. Starting from the questions in the application process, all the way to the entire session, it was a thought provoking experience. One that lead to a lot of self-reflection and an immense amount of motivation to not only achieve more as an individual but also help the women around to be more successful.” Further, she elaborated her encounter with other inspiring women at the session, each from a different ethnicity, a different role, all carrying the same strength and the same struggles of their own individual lives. “I felt that being with these talented girls gave me hope. I still use them and their words as an anchor. I’m very excited to apply the learnings in my work and life in general,” she said. The writer is a freelance journalist and can be reached at foha.raza@gmail.com