Growing up in New Zealand, Fahima often felt like she didn’t fully belong—navigating school and life outside the dominant culture, where understanding and inclusion weren’t always there.

Today, as an occupational therapist, she has found her purpose. But she hasn’t forgotten those experiences. She knows many young people are still walking that same path.

What began as a quiet, internal struggle has become something powerful. Fahima now champions youth from similar backgrounds—mentoring, supporting, and creating spaces where they can feel seen and belong.

Her story is one of transformation—turning lived experience into action, and ensuring others don’t have to navigate it alone.