Passion transforms
into innovation.

Khalida Brohi, 29, is the Founder and Executive Director of Sughar Foundation USA, a non-profit dedicated to providing tribal and rural women in Pakistan with opportunities to evaluate their abilities and nurture their leadership skills in an environment of growth and development.

Khalida launched Sughar (meaning “skilled and confident woman” in Urdu) in 2009, declaring that all woman in Pakistan are “sughar,” they only need the opportunity to unleash that potential within themselves. Sughar offers such opportunities, including resources to launch and sustain rural women-owned businesses. Her work is driven by the unshakeable belief that it is possible to build a society where women are not killed for honor, but are honored and given equal status.

Khalida is also co-founder of The Chai Spot with her husband, David Barron, a social-enterprise based in Arizona, that provides economic opportunities for woman and educational opportunities for youth in Pakistan, while at the same time giving Americans an authentic taste of the country’s rich culture and flavors.

Khalida has twice been named among Forbes’ 30 Under 30 for Social Entrepreneurship, awarded the inaugural Emerging Global Leader Award by Northwestern University, named Director’s Fellow at MIT Media Lab, and received the ANGEL Award by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center. Khalida has also been among NewsWeeks’ 25 under 25 Women of Impact, The Nation’s 100 Women Who Matter in Pakistan, awarded the Woman of Impact Award by Women in the World Foundation, the Women of Excellence Award by the government of Sindh Province, Pakistan, as well as others.

Khalida has spoken on such stages as TEDGlobal, Davos, the World Affairs Council, Together Live, Google Zeitgeist, Facebook, Trip Advisor, and the Pilosio Building Peace Award summit.