Portrait of Mussarrat Fatima, a passionate First Aid Trainer at the Pakistan Red Crescent. 

Mussarrat’s inspiring story is a testament to the crucial role of first aid in saving lives during emergency situations.

Over the years, Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has faced an increasing number of emergencies and disasters, both natural and man-made. For the past 40 years, the Sindh branch of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society has been involving young people through volunteerism, including training in disaster response.

This is how in 2015, Mussarrat started with the Pakistan Red Crescent as a volunteer, guided by her desire to help people in need.  She was then a news anchor in a local news channel, but the passion and diligence she put into her work prompted the Red Crescent to offer her advanced training courses to become a First Aid trainer. In 2021, as a result of two disaster preparedness-related projects in which she played a central role, she received the Recognition Award.

“Over time, hearing numerous people’s life-saving stories realized me the significance and necessity of first aid and inspired me to work harder,” says Mussarrat.

For example, she recounts that when she first started as a trainer, a participant told her that she had been motivated to learn first aid by other colleagues who had been trained by the Red Crescent and who had rescued people injured in the bombing at their Imam Bargah. On another occasion, a school teacher told her that she had saved her nephew’s life during a choking episode only a few days after her training with Mussarrat.

“As a female first aid trainer, I can proudly say that I have provided first aid awareness to thousands of individuals”

Mussarrat also trains MBBS, BDS and physiotherapy students in first aid. With her, medical students learn about emergency management and first aid provision to the injured on the ground. Once again, Mussarrat was proud to know that a student she trained saved the life of a person on the side of the road because of his CPR skills. 

Her journey is an inspiration to other girls, and Mussarrat is a strong advocate for women’s empowerment.

According to her, “hard work and patience never stop paying back.”