Cisco Australia has won an award from Great Place to Work Australia naming it as the #1 Best Place to Work that has more than 1000 employees.

Ken Boal, vice-president of Cisco Australia & New Zealand, said in a statement: "This is such a proud moment for our Cisco Australia & New Zealand team to be recognised at the #1 Best Place to Work in Australia.

"We've improved our results by listening to our employees and improving our workplace culture through increased transparency, trust, and our greater purpose to power an inclusive future."

The study that made the award took into account the workplace culture at the company.

The Cisco team had a good meal to mark their award.

Factors that made a workplace great were trust in people one worked for, having pride in what one does and enjoying what one does do and working with the people in one's team.

Cisco employees also shared insights about why their office was the best place to work.

Some of the sentiments expressed were: The culture and the feeling of care you get from colleagues is what makes it special to work here. We work hard, and yet we look out for each other when we see someone struggling.

Serious about looking after employees and doing the right thing for business and the community.

Female employees celebrate after Cisco was given the award.

Flexibility to work from home. High levels of personal empowerment and responsibility and trust.

Being surrounded by the best in the industry inspires everyone to perform at their absolute best.

Great Place to Work Australia managing director Zrinka Lovrencic said, The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenge facing organisations across the globe, and it puts a premium on being a high trust people-first culture.

"We celebrate the companies that earned places on our 2020 Best Places to Work benchmarking study, and we hope this will inspire more companies to continue maintaining and building trust with their team members.

Cisco employees celebrate the award during a virtual online chat session.

Over the last 30 years, Great Place to Work research has confirmed every year that employees flourish in high-trust workplace cultures. This year, 39,156 Australian-based employees from 124 companies participated in the benchmarking study.

The 2020 Best Places to Work was published in a feature insert in the Australian Financial Review, http://www.greatplacetowork.com.au, http://www.wrkplus.com, and http://www.workforthebest.com on 22 July.

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Cisco Australia NZ named best place to work in region - iTWire

Annual update highlights progress on environmental, social and community initiatives

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced its 25th annual corporate citizenship update, providing a transparent view of the companys corporate responsibility initiatives. This years update highlights how AMD and its technologies are addressing sustainable technological and scientific advancement, environmental and supply chain responsibility, workplace inclusion and belonging, and community support.

We complete twenty-five years of sustainability reporting recognizing the role that semiconductors contribute in helping solve many of the complex challenges our world faces, said Susan Moore, corporate vice president of international government affairs and corporate responsibility at AMD. As we navigate this changing world, fueled by the resilience of our employees, communities and customers, AMD remains focused on responsibly delivering high-performance technology that helps us achieve more together.

Purpose-Built Technology AMD is committed to developing and deploying its high-performance technology to enable a better and more sustainable world. In 2020, AMD exceeded its six-year goal to deliver an unprecedented 25 times energy efficiency improvement in its mobile processors. The new AMD Ryzen 7 4800H is 31.7 times more energy efficient than the baseline metric, far surpassing the award-winning 25x20 Energy Efficiency goal set in 2014.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, AMD announced the AMD COVID-19 High-Performance Computing (HPC) Fund to provide research entities with computing resources powered by AMD EPYC servers and AMD Radeon Instinct GPUs to accelerate medical research about COVID-19 and other diseases. Additionally, AMD is supporting organizations delivering medical services and humanitarian relief worldwide, contributing more than $1.2 million USD in grants, to date, and hundreds of thousands of personal protective equipment.Operating ResponsiblyAMD extends its commitment to transparent reporting throughout its operations and supply chain. AMD values environmental protection and is currently ahead of target for its 2014-2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

AMD also increased supply chain responsibility efforts, engaging with 100 percent of direct suppliers and conducting additional supplier audits, with a focus on ensuring all workers are treated with respect and that working conditions are safe.

Strengthening CommunitiesAMD is dedicated to positively impacting the communities in which it operates, with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)-related initiatives. Through AMD partnerships with educational organizations around the world, more than 1,000 students and teachers are learning in labs powered by the latest generation of AMD CPUs and GPUs, with ongoing engagement from employee volunteers.

AMD employees regularly share their time and talents in community engagement. In 2019, they drove a 10 percent year-over-year increase in company-sponsored volunteerism to support the needs of AMD communities spanning STEM education, meal preparation, park clean-ups and more.

Empowering PeopleAMD fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging to enable employees to do their best work. In 2019, AMD expanded its Employee Resource Group (ERG) program with five new groups and eight new site chapters of existing ERGs, empowering employees with more ways to celebrate their diversity and support each other.

Aligned with the companys commitment to diversity and inclusion and in light of recent events that highlight the work still ahead to end racism and social injustice, AMD announced its first steps to cultivate change with donations to high-impact non-profits focused on social and racial equality and support for their empowerment, scholarship and mentorship programs. AMD is committed to helping its employees and communities effect systemic and lasting change.

Demonstrating its commitment to environmental, social and workplace progress, AMD continues its track record of company recognition with features on this years Best 100 Corporate Citizens list, Forbes and JUST Capital JUST 100 ranking, Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, and Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index.

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Supporting Resources

About AMDFor 50 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics and visualization technologies the building blocks for gaming, immersive platforms and the data center. Hundreds of millions of consumers, leading Fortune 500 businesses and cutting-edge scientific research facilities around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work and play. AMD employees around the world are focused on building great products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.

2020 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. All rights reserved. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, EPYC, Radeon Instinct, Ryzen, and combinations thereof are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:Sarah FellerAMD Communications(512) 602-4333sarah.feller@amd.com

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AMD Commemorates 25 Years of Corporate Responsibility Reporting - Yahoo Finance

Submitted by Perry L. Newell.

We live in an extraordinarily complex world. As school districts have been forced to embrace remote learning during the pandemic, teachers and students alike have found ways to adapt to the new normal. And as school districts plan for the fall semester, many are turning to online learning because students and teachers may not be together in their school buildings.

Many of the resources may be lost. The interaction between students and teaching staff may be felt for years to come. The Funding College Project, and Cash for Kids are non-commercial activity, which has been asked to supply to newspapers and community bulletin boards serving the area information about active awards, and scholarships and insightful advice. It is our hope that you find the information useful.

Information is made available weekly and can be found at: http://www.educatingouryouth.org

Do you think the Internal Revenue Service can help you?

INTERNAL REVENUE TAX CODE will help you determine if youre eligible for certain educational credits or deductions including the American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Tuition and Fees Deduction. http://www.irs.gov/help/ita/am-i-eligible-to-claim-an-education-credit

THE POSSE VETERANS PROGRAM The Posse Veterans Program identifies, trains, and supports veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces interested in pursuing bachelors degrees at top colleges and universities.

Those accepted into the program attend college as part of a team of veteransa Veterans Posse. Participants receive training prior to matriculating on campus and mentoring once enrolled. In addition, Posse partner colleges provide veterans in the program with supplemental funding to cover the full cost of tuition. http://www.possefoundation.org/shaping-the-future/posse-veterans-program

CONGRATS 2020-21 FELLOWS AND GRANTEES!

AAUW is excited to announce more than 200 awards and $3.5 million in funding for fellows and grantees in the 202021 award year. These exceptional recipients, who were notified by email on April 15, will pursue academic work and lead innovative community projects to empower women and girls. http://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/

VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOURS COVID-19 doesnt stop the college process, these virtual college tours. docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sO7pVos0EvK0BvXoMbnyg00K6r7hXbOQE0HNXF4N4eM/edit

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU NORTHWEST + PACIFIC STUDENTS OF INTEGRITY SCHOLARSHIP

AVAILABLE IN ALASKA, HAWAII, IDAHO, MONTANA, OREGON, WASHINGTON AND WESTERN WYOMING.

BBB Foundation offers the Students of Integrity Scholarships to recognize high school juniors and seniors who personify and communicate ethics in the real world, as demonstrated through community service, personal integrity, and academic accomplishments.

Scholarships will be awarded to the winning applications submitted by students residing in Alaska, Oregon, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Washington or Western Wyoming*. High school juniors and seniors from across the Northwest and Pacific are encouraged to apply by submitting either a 3-minute video or a 500-word essay on the listed topics. bbb-scholarship.org/scholarships/

WEVE FOUND 4,352 JOBS NEAR YOU!

Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on current or past events. The word journalism applies to the occupation, as well as citizen journalists who gather and publish information. Journalistic media include print, television, radio, Internet, and, in the past, newsreels.

Concepts of the appropriate role for journalism vary between countries. In some nations, the news media are controlled by government intervention and are not fully independent.[1] In others, the news media are independent of the government but instead operate as private industry motivated by profit. In addition to the varying nature of how media organizations are run and funded, countries may have differing implementations of laws handling the freedom of speech and libel cases.

The proliferation of the Internet and smartphones has brought significant changes to the media landscape since the turn of the 21st century. This has created a shift in the consumption of print media channels, as people increasingly consume news through e-readers, smartphones, and other personal electronic devices, as opposed to the more traditional formats of newspapers, magazines, or television news channels. News organizations are challenged to fully monetize their digital wing, as well as improvise on the context in which they publish in print. Newspapers have seen print revenues sink at a faster pace than the rate of growth for digital revenues. itsmycareer.com/

GROUNDBREAKER LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

The Against The Grain Groundbreaker Leadership Scholarship provides financial assistance and promotion of Asian American college seniors and graduate students who have exhibited exemplary leadership, vision, and passion that is blazing a trail for others to follow and changing lives in the Asian American community. Awards: $1,500 to be applied toward school tuition and fees. againstthegrainproductions.com/groundbreaker-leadership-scholarship/

YES, THOSE WHO ARE SMART CAN APPLY IN 7TH GRADE.

Young Scholars Program Sponsor: Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Amount: Up to $40,000- Program is open to high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. http://www.jkcf.org

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SPONSORS ???????????????????????????CAREERONESTOP, which provides a list of nationally available scholarships, in addition to resources about career exploration, training, and jobs. Search more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other financial aid award opportunities.

http://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx

SCHOLARSHIP AMERICA Were Your People There are tons of scholarships out there, designed to help students like you get toand stay incollege. Start exploring and start the application process with the click of a button. We Have One Passion Every Student.

At Scholarship America, were passionate about student success. Its what drives us. Developing leading scholarship solutions and partnering with people who also believe that a student should never, ever give up on their dream because they didnt think it was possible. scholarshipamerica.org/students/browse-scholarships/

253 PLU BOUND FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP PLU offers a scholarship for students who are College Bound eligible, attend a high school in Washington state, and have a 3.30 or higher weighted cumulative GPA. Students who qualify will be awarded full tuition for their four years at PLU through a combination of federal, state, PLU grants and scholarships, and the College Bound Scholarship. http://www.plu.edu/admission-first-year/financial-aid/scholarships/253-plu-bound-scholarships/

Do you know a top student leader who will be graduating high school in 2020 and may be eligible for THE GATES SCHOLARSHIP? Please dont hesitate to apply now! http://www.thegatesscholarship.org/

ARE THERE SCHOLARSHIPS SPECIFICALLY FOR LATINOS?

The number of Latino students starting college this year has grown. There will be more new students of Latino descent than any other minority group. And while college costs can be too expensive for many students, scholarships are available.

To qualify for scholarship money, Latino students should consider their grade point average (GPA), test scores, and community involvement. These are some of the factors that can help with winning scholarship money. Always check the rules and requirements for scholarships. http://www.unigo.com/pay-for-college/scholarship/scholarships-for-latinos

WOMENS INDEPENDENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Application Deadline: Rolling Description: Womens Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) was created in 1999 as a project of The Sunshine Lady Foundation. In 2008, we were spun off from SLF to focus solely on scholarships for survivors of intimate partner abuse. Were excited to launch the on-line application process this year and are looking forward to your submissions! wispinc.org/

THE ACCESS PROGRAMS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND are designed to promote academic excellence and expand college opportunities for Tacoma Public Schools middle and high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education.

Access Programs are open to students in grades 7 through 12 enrolled in the Tacoma School District who are members of one or more of the following groups:

first-generation college students

minoritized groups underrepresented in higher education

groups with socioeconomic statuses underrepresented in higher education

Access Programs include three types of programs

1. Access to College Initiatives: academic-year tutoring/mentoring/academic support and Access Club activities in Tacoma Public Schools middle and secondary schools and Tuesday Night Tutoring and College Access Days on the University of Puget Sound campus

2. Summer Academic Challenge: four-week tuition free STEAM based program at the University of Puget Sound campus

3. Access Cohort Program: provides financial, academic, and social support to Access Program students who enroll at the University of Puget Sound. http://www.pugetsound.edu/about/offices-services/access-programs/

GIRLPRENEURS The importance of girl empowerment work being done through building a dedicated mentorship program for girls. Powered by role models and entrepreneurs from all fields, the interactive event series will introduce girls to entrepreneurship, of all kinds, and aims to cultivate the doer, maker, innovator spirit in these leaders of tomorrow. http://www.womenyoushouldfund.com/girlpreneurs/

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CAN BE EASY! Filling out all of those scholarship applications can be time-consuming, but it doesnt have to be. With Scholar Snapp, apply in a fraction of the time its fast, easy, and free. http://www.scholarsnapp.org/students/

REFER-A-STUDENT QuestBridge connects the nations brightest students from low-income backgrounds to top colleges across the United States. We have two programs, the National College Match for high school seniors, and the College Prep Scholars Program for high school juniors.

SOROPTIMISTS LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARDS PROGRAM is a unique education grant for women who provide the primary financial support for their families. Live Your Dream Awards give women the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects.

Every year, Soroptimist distributes more than $2 million in education grants to about 1,500 women all over the world.

Over half of our Live Your Dream Awards recipients are survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, or sexual assault. Nearly all of the women and families we serve have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, teen pregnancy, and drug or alcohol addiction. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition, and transportation. http://www.soroptimist.org/our-work/live-your-dream-awards/index.html

SWENEXT OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR GIRLS K-12 To expand the SWE community, developing a new way for girls (ages 17 and under) to learn and participate in engineering-introducing SWENext! Provides young girls, parents, and educators with the tools to increase their understanding of the engineering field. Establish engagement in engineering early on. swe-sc.org/outreach2/swene-outreach-program-for-girls-k-12/

WASHINGTON STATE COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 7th and 8th grade students may apply for College Bound if they meet one of the requirements. Deadline to complete the application is June 30 at the end of the students 8th grade year. readysetgrad.wa.gov/college/college-bound-scholarship-program

MICHAEL AND SUSAN DELL FOUNDATION Amount: $20,000 Scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors who have participated in an approved college readiness program (such as AVID, GEAR UP, Upward Bound see full list on website) in grades 11 and 12. Applicant must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.4 and demonstrate financial need. http://www.dellscholars.org/scholarship/

MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS A large percentage of the U.S. college population is comprised of minority students from various backgrounds and races, including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic and Latinos, Asian and Pacific Islanders, and others.

Most awards can be found with a simple search on the internet, counselors and advisors, prospective colleges may have a list or can nominate you directly. A good place to start your search may be:

http://www.scholarships.com, http://www.unigo.com/scholarships, http://www.salliemae.com/, http://www.nitrocollege.com, and scholarshipowl.com

ONLINE SCHOLARSHIPS Online scholarship opportunities are abundant, as are online scholarship searches. There are even scholarship programs specifically for students who also attend class online. Technological advances and marked increases in access to the Internet have revolutionized the scholarship world, allowing all kinds of college students and college-bound students more access to money for college than ever before. Of course, in addition to offering a host of scholarship information, application, and awards, the online world can also propagate scholarship myths and scams. Get more information with a click to: http://www.scholarships.com/financial-aid/college-scholarships/scholarships-by-type/online-scholarships/

The Funding College Project, and Cash for Kids are non-commercial activities, its success is due in part to the contributions and participation of elected, public, and private individuals, organizations, and schools too numerous to name and through the support of the College Networks. More Electronic Listings: http://www.educatingouryouth.org

Your actions will dictate your opportunities!

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When the students are ready - The Suburban Times

Written by Pratik Datta | Published: July 31, 2020 12:40:36 am The proposal to cap the tenure of a bank CEO needs to be supported by adequate empirical evidence rooted in Indian realities. (Representational image)

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India released a discussion paper on governance in commercial banks in India. The apparent objective is to align the current regulatory framework with global best practices while being mindful of the context of the domestic financial system. However, the proposal to cap the tenure of a bank CEO needs to be supported by adequate empirical evidence rooted in Indian realities.

The paper proposes to cap the maximum tenure of a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as a CEO or a Whole Time Director (WTD) at 10 years. The rationale offered is that 10 years is an adequate period for a promoter/major shareholder of a bank as CEO/WTD to stabilise its operations and to transition the managerial leadership to a professional management. The corresponding limit for a CEO who is not a promoter/major shareholder is 15 consecutive years. Thereafter, that individual is eligible for re-appointment as CEO or WTD only after the expiration of three years.

Ordinary corporate governance norms exhort managers to run a company in the interest of shareholders. Global experience suggests that this approach may not be suitable for all types of banks. First, banks are highly leveraged, creating powerful incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies at great risk to creditors, including retail depositors. Second, bank failure could involve systemic risk, which could result in a government bail-out. This moral hazard creates even more high-powered incentives for shareholders to engage in risky strategies. Third, financial assets held by a bank are hard to monitor and measure. Consequently, external scrutiny of a bank by depositors and creditors, among others, is difficult. Overall, these unique factors are likely to encourage bank managers to take excessive risks to maximise shareholder value.

Bank governance seeks to curb such excessive risk-taking. It encourages prudent risk-taking by bank managers such that shareholders interests are secondary to depositors interests. This is the main logic for regulating the banks board structure and managerial compensation, as suggested in the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision guidelines and the Financial Stability Board principles respectively. From this perspective, it is unclear whether imposing a maximum cap on CEO tenure to separate ownership from management would encourage prudent risk-taking by the management.

Research suggests that CEO tenure could have important implications for corporate performance. This is because the managers decision horizons are usually shorter than the investment horizons of other corporate stakeholders, which may encourage myopic decisions by a CEO.

For Indian banks, the limited empirical evidence seems to suggest that bank performance improves with increasing CEO tenure. For instance, a paper by Jayati Sarkar and Subrata Sarkar (2018), published in International Journal of Financial Studies, examines whether board governance structures (including CEO tenure) impact the performance of Indian state-owned and private commercial banks both in terms of asset quality and profitability. It uses a sample of 25 state-owned banks, 14 old private banks and seven new private banks for a period of 12 years from 2000 to 2012.

The paper finds that an increase in CEO tenure is associated with significant improvements in asset quality with an accompanying increase in the overall performance of the bank. Moreover, the effect of CEO tenure increases rapidly with the year of CEO tenure. Consequently, the later years of a CEOs tenure are more effective than the initial years in affecting bank outcomes. Further, CEO tenure effects are stronger in private banks, both old and new. These findings seem to be at odds with RBIs suggestion to cap CEO tenure.

Concerning public sector banks (PSBs), the P J Nayak Committee report had identified shorter tenure of chairmen and executive directors as a key reason for weaker empowerment of their boards. This conclusion was based on a working paper from ISB-Hyderabad authored by Krishnamurthy Subramanium, Arkodipta Sarkar and Prasanna Tantri (2014). This paper argues that an incoming CEO in a PSB is likely to be wary about the quality of bank assets during his predecessors tenure. Given the threat of prosecution, the incoming CEO is unlikely to lend until he understands and obtains full information about the banks existing assets. Accordingly, the paper finds that the quarter in which a new CEO takes charge, market-adjusted lending declines by 1.7 per cent and the stock price also falls by 1.1 per cent. In such circumstances, a shorter tenure creates incentives for the incoming CEO to engage in earnings management to present an overtly positive view of the banks business and financial position. In contrast, CEOs with longer tenure have lower incentives to engage in earnings management. Although these findings do not apply to private banks, they seem to suggest a case for a minimum CEO tenure but not maximum CEO tenure.

To clarify, this is not to suggest that the proposal on CEO tenure cap in the RBI paper is incorrect. What is merely being highlighted is that the proposal does not appear to be supported by any cogent evidence, empirical or otherwise, which is available in the public domain. This assumes significance in light of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) v. RBI. In this case, the Court struck down an RBI circular prohibiting dealing or settling in virtual currencies on the ground that RBI did not adduce any cogent evidence of the likely harm that its circular sought to address. While there is no direct parallel that can be drawn, it may be prudent for the RBI to publish an empirical study on the impact of CEO tenure on bank performance before translating this proposal into an enforceable regulation.

The writer is senior research fellow at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., New Delhi. Views are personal

The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

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Short may not be sweet - The Indian Express

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Mariam Nasrri is the 2020 Courage to Come Back award recipient in the Medical category.

Growing up in the 1980s, Mariams childhood was influenced by a civil war that had devastated her birth country of Afghanistan.

During the war, her parents tried to protect her and her siblings by moving constantly and providing the children with shelter and education at every chance. However, Mariam couldnt avoid traumas she both witnessed and experienced. By the time she reached young adulthood, she had survived a school bombing, molestation, physical abuse, illness caused by starvation and dehydration, an abusive marriage arrangement and house imprisonment, and other unthinkable traumas.

After I witnessed the bombing and killing of my classmates and friends, I started to suffer from survivors guilt. Although they were loving and caring, they could not shield me from the horrors of war no matter how deep they dug or how far they ran from city to city.

In December 2000, Mariam sought asylum from the United Nations in India. Hungry, alone, and scared, she sat outside the office for days on end until she got the attention of a UN worker. Within forty days, she was placed with a refugee family, but she was soon stigmatized, alienated, and assaulted by the community who did not approve of her and her actions.

The next year, Mariam turned to the Canadian Embassy and received sponsorship from the Canadian government to move to Vancouver to live with relatives. Her battle with the challenges of emigration, such as language barriers and community ostracism, continued. Despite this, Mariam finished high school, enrolled in university in Victoria, and found a paralegal assistant job in the government.

Then, in 2009, Mariam fell down a flight of stairs and sustained a concussion, spinal injuries, and damage to the left side of her body.

Over the next year, as matters deteriorated and her immune system suffered, Mariam became increasingly isolated and immobile, finding it difficult to get out of bed, let alone venture outside. She went through various states of mind during this time, from numbness to self-pity to frustration.

The bitter reality dawned upon Mariam that she may have to live with these life-long injuries and chronic pain. She also struggled with PTSD, as the horror of the years of war and hardship she endured as a refugee added to her loneliness, guilt, hopelessness, and depression. Mariam tried as hard as she could to fight back by processing her emotions and finding solace and strength in her situation.

In the present, I felt completely lost and in a dark place. In order to go forward, you have to know where you came from. I was given a new life, I was given an opportunity to be here in this country. Giving up wasn't an option, and that thought kept me alive.

With her future and her family as her motivations, Mariam decided to reach out for social support and accept the assistance available to help her heal mentally and emotionally.

With the help of medical specialists, physiotherapists, and chiropractors, she was able to persevere through lengthy and painful physical rehabilitation. Slowly, she felt the effects of the therapies, and she felt hopeful again. Mariam found people who became part of her healing journey and made friends that loved her unconditionally. The care and support she received restored her faith in humanity and as she excelled in her recovery, she regained her confidence.

Marian Nasrri. Photo: Avrinder Dhillon.

While in recovery, Mariam had time to reflect on who she really was today and where she wanted to go next.

From there, she decided to make big changes in her education and career pursuits. Fuelled by her passions for writing and the creative arts, Mariam returned to university and switched to a creative writing program, She also earned a certificate from Harvard University online, studying the works of Shakespeare. Currently, with support from Bard on the Beach, she is writing an adaptation of Romeo & Juliet set in Afghanistan.

After the fall of the Taliban regime, Mariam reunited with her family in Afghanistan in 2012. Here, she was inspired to move onto her next mission in life using the creative skills and humanitarian spirit she developed in Canada to help give Afghan women a voice.

She video documented the personal stories and struggles of women from different walks of life. Behind veils, she interviewed women who live in remote regions to hear their stories, uncut and uncensored.

As her profile began to rise, she began facing retaliation from those in the society who were against her actions. She recounts being shot at, being attacked, and receiving threats and almost being kidnapped by the Taliban, she began receiving threats from the Taliban.

Mariam refused to let anything stop her from pursuing her goals, seeing an amazing opportunity to bring greater awareness. She continued to return to Afghanistan over the years to give Afghan women a prominent voice on the international stage.

Mariam is the founder of a Canadian non-profit called Nahz Empowerment of Women and Girls, an organization that facilitates opportunities for vulnerable women and girls in Afghanistan to improve their literacy skills, to help them find sustainable employment, and ultimately, to teach them how to become independent.

Trained in the 12 Steps program for addiction and trauma therapy in Canada, Mariam brought her knowledge over to Kabul, where she volunteered at a women and childrens hospital for the homeless who suffer from substance abuse, drug addiction, and mental illness. Mariam was the first woman to organize the 12 Steps program for Afghan women in Kabul, and held the first-ever all-womens meeting for those who suffer from substance abuse.

If I could educate women, they'd be able to influence their children, and give them choices. I want to forge that path for those families in need of support.

In an effort to help those who have gone through personal trauma, Mariam decided to share her story openly with others.

When you have a second chance in life, what do you do with it? I want to do my part to give others hope through sharing my experiences, and especially with the younger generation. They are our future.

She has been a guest speaker for various organizations, focusing on mental health, emigration challenges, and violence against women.

As the world endures the effects of COVID-19, Mariam remains optimistic for the days ahead.

We're facing a very uncertain future due to the pandemic. Human history makes me feel absolutely and utterly sure that we will persevere. Human beings have survived many pandemics before, and it's because of our humanity. We're a global community right now. With todays technology and medical advancements, a cure will be found.

In overcoming war trauma and migration, Miriam has struggled and triumphed over remarkable obstacles by following her dreams. In choosing to look ahead and give back to her communities in Afghanistan and Canada, Mariam is an example of resilience in the human spirit.

I want to be a voice for the voiceless. I want to be part of a force that helps restore faith in humanity. I hope others can find a way home as I have a safe place where their spirits can be free and safe, where they are free to love and live.

The Courage To Come Back Awards celebrate British Columbians who have overcome significant adversity, injury or illness and who inspire and give back to others.

For the past 20 years, the Courage To Come Back Awards have raised more than $18.5 million for Coast Mental Health to support people recovering from mental illness in the Lower Mainland, through housing, support services and employment.

The awards celebration is a major fundraiser for Coast Mental Health, which believes that, through compassionate care and support, everyone can recover. This year, instead of the in-person gala, Coast Mental Health is celebrating Courage To Come Back Month in July.

Find more inspirational stories and to find out how you can support, visit: couragetocomeback.ca.

This Content is made possible by our Sponsor; it is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.

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Mariam Nasrri is taking a stand as a voice for the voiceless through her creativity and courage - Vancouver Is Awesome