At the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Ham Serunjogi – CEO and co-founder of African fintech giant Chipper Cash – realised the importance of staying connected to something larger than himself. The Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree is now serving as an advisor to the US President on African diaspora engagement.
Meet the Faculty
Leadership Team |
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Head of Academy | Dr Jonathan Long |
Deputy Head of the Academy, Pastoral Care | Jeffrey Anthony Doerfler |
PA to Head of Academy | Vaishali Purohit |
Principal, Senior School | Koel Ray |
Principal, Junior School | Sreelatha Kumar |
Dean of Academics | Neeraja Nibhanupudi |
Dean of Students | Suresh Madhavan |
Head of Finance | Mukul Vashishatha |
Dean of Experiential Learning |
Vlad Gogelescu |
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Admissions |
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Dean of Admissions | Arjun Puri |
Manager, Admissions | Pramoditha Jamalpur |
Admissions cum Events Officer | Zareen Hashmi |
Senior School Faculty |
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Principal, Senior School | Koel Ray |
PA to Senior School Principal | Deepa Hitange |
Assistant to Dean of Students-cum-Student Life Coordinator | Nilesh Talaulicar |
Coordinators/Counsellors/SEN/Fellows | |
Academic Development Coordinator | Joanne Gogelescu |
Diploma Programme Coordinator | Sudipta Roy |
Associate Diploma Programme Coordinator | Dr Sujana Veeramachaneni |
Theory of Knowledge Coordinator | Sudeep Ghosh |
Creativity, Activity, Service Coordinator | Venkat Reddy |
Middle Years Programme (MYP) Coordinator | Meenakshi Joshi |
Head of Middle Years | Rajesh Kayiprath |
MYP Personal Project Coordinator | Chandrabhan Yadav |
TPP - Coordinator, Internship & Leadership | Pratibha Thimmaraya |
University Counsellor | Pragati Pandey |
Inclusive Education Coordinator (SEN) | Namrata Bhushan |
Extended Essay Coordinator | Vlad Gogelescu |
Creativity, Activity, Service Coordinator (CAS) | Venkat Reddy |
Science | |
Biology & Environmental Systems and Societies | Vinay Singh |
Environmental Systems & Societies / Integrated Sciences | Pratibha Thimmaraya |
Chemistry | Dr. SureshKumar Manthiriyappan |
Chemistry | Megha Saban |
Physics | Sudipta Kumar Roy |
Physics | Suhel Vakkal |
Physics | Sathish Gadarla |
Senior Lab Technician | Giribabu Kuna |
Lab Technician | Sudhakar Konapala |
Lab Technician | Smriti Mandal |
English | |
HOD, English | Gopika Jadeja |
English / ToK | Sudeep Ghosh |
English / ToK | Chandreyee Das Gupta |
English / MUN Coordinator | Saloni Chesney |
Mathematics | |
HOD, Mathematics | Tarun Seth |
Dean of Studies, Mathematics & ToK | Neeraja Nibhanupudi |
Mathematics Teacher Coach | Vani Vishwanath |
Mathematics | Subhashini Chandra |
Mathematics and MYP Personal Project Coordinator | Chandrabhan Yadav |
Mathematics | Santhosh Reddy |
Mathematics | Krishnendu Saha |
Mathematics | Usha Shivakumar |
Expressive Arts | |
HOD, Arts | Nandakumar P. K. |
Visual Arts | Meenakshi Joshi |
Visual Arts | Visweswara Rao Brahmanapalli |
Music | Chin-Yen Huang |
Theatre - Arts | Dr Chandrasekhar Indla |
Theatre - Arts | Subesh Poddar |
Languages | |
HOD, Hindi / Senior Tutor | Dr Karuna Arya |
Hindi / CAS Coordinator | Venkat Reddy |
Hindi | Dr Sunita Ghosh |
Hindi | Radhika Tiwari |
Hindi | Neetu Reddy |
Hindi | Dr Chandrakant Shinde |
Hindi | Sushmita Banerjee |
Telugu | Sai Krishna Ranga |
HOD, Foreign Languages | Manisha Deshbandhu |
French | Mopuru Raghu Rami Reddy |
Dari / Persian | Ahmed Ferozi |
Humanities (I&S) | |
HOD, Economics / ToK | Gaura Joshi |
Economics & MYP Coordinator | Rajesh Kayiprath |
Economics and Business Studies | Rahul Menon R |
MYP – I and S / History | Ritu Seth |
Global Politics / Extended Essay Coordinator | Vlad Gogelescu |
Geography | Joanne Gogelescu |
History/ToK | Koel Ray |
Individual & Societies | Aarushi Dutt |
Individuals & Societies / History | Sarmishtha Adhya |
Humanities | Afeera Maryam |
Economics/Humanities |
Suresh Madhavan |
ITGS & Design | |
Acting HOD | Koel Ray |
Design & Computer Science | Mehabunnisa |
ICT / ITGS | Surya Prakash Vemparala |
Design & Data Management | Veni Veeramachaneni |
Physical Education | |
HOD, Physical Education | Srungarapati Ravi Kumar |
Physical Education | Ramesh Kumar Kaliraman |
Swimming Assistant | Seena Remadevi |
Library |
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Head Librarian | Madhu Bhargava |
Librarian, Senior School | Shakeel Ahmed Khan |
Librarian, Junior School | Veena Bhat |
Learning Enrichment Team |
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HOD Learning Enrichment / English as an Additional Language (EAL) / Special Educational Needs (SEN), Gifted & Talented (G&T) | Susan Long |
SEN |
Namrata Bhushan |
EAL/SEN |
Morag Kallepu |
EAL |
Rema Vishwanath |
EAL |
Elizabeth Holden Eckel |
EAL |
Aarushi Dutt |
Learning Enrichment |
Faridah Lakhani |
Academic Support |
Amanda Khongwir |
Junior School Faculty |
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Principal, Junior School | Sreelatha Kumar |
PA to Junior School Principal | Shabana Awadiya |
Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator | Abhimanyu Das Gupta |
Teachers | |
Day Care | Shwetha Emandi |
Grade 1A Home Room | Rhitesha Paul |
Grade 1A Co-Teacher | Neetu Chennuri |
Grade 1K Home Room | Madhulita Patnaik |
Grade 1K Co-Teacher | Simran Sinha |
Grade 2A Home Room | Mitu Sharma |
Grade 2A Co-Teacher | Laila Narsingani |
Grade 2K Home Room | Chetna Sharma |
Grade 2K Co-Teacher | Swati Kansal |
Grade 3A Home Room | Anjum Budhwani |
Grade 3K Home Room | Disha Kerkar |
Grade 4A Home Room | Lavanya Pavan Vadavalli |
Grade 4K Home Room | Vidhya Pallath |
Grade 5A Home Room | Sanjana Amarnani |
Grade 5K Home Room | Sheila D'Souza |
Hindi | Sushmita Banerjee |
Hindi | Meena Uniyal |
Telugu | Kasthuri Varanasi |
Telugu | Deepika Aluvala |
Visual Art | Florence James |
Music | December Lynn |
Physical Education | Vajravani Polavarapu |
Laboni Banerjee: cultivating community wherever she goes
Laboni was immediately attracted to AKA Hyderabad because of the vision and mission of His Highness the Aga Khan for the Aga Khan Academies. She found the values of the Academy to be more aligned with her own ethos than the school she was previously working at before joining the Academy.
“Over the course of 10 years at the Academy, I have found myself a part of a vibrant and caring community,” Laboni said.
When joining the Academy in 2010, Laboni recalls it being a much smaller school then, especially the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). There were only seven PYP teachers and the Junior School principal at the time, Diana Smith who started the PYP at the Academy, along with Sreelatha Kumar, who was the PYP coordinator at the time and is now the Junior School principal. AKA Hyderabad received the Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme authorisation in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The latter year is when Laboni remembers seeing notable growth in both students and faculty at the Academy.“Early years in the PYP were busy,” Laboni said. “During this time, I was also focusing on identifying myself as a member of the PYP team and growing with the school.
Over the course of her time at AKA Hyderabad, Laboni has taken on various roles. Along with being a Grade 3 teacher, Laboni took a role in the PYP reading and writing assessment in which she collected evidence and data. Laboni also helped with the Admissions Department and was responsible for checking the vocabulary of students applying to the Academy. Reflecting back, Laboni said she greatly appreciated this role because it allowed her to build a special relationship with parents and students from the very beginning of their Academy journey.
“While working with the Admissions Department I valued meeting a large number of people who were enthusiastic and eager to learn more about the PYP in the early years.”
From 2012–2014 Laboni helped with AKA Hyderabad’s Outreach Teacher Training programme, which is a core part of Academies’ Professional Development Centre (PDC) that trains local teachers around the community in various subject areas and enhances their pedagogical skills.
A few years ago, Laboni also had the opportunity to travel to the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya where she truly began to appreciate the pluralistic approach to education and diverse cultures and backgrounds the Academies values and emphasises. During her time in Mombasa, Laboni met Titus Mutemi, who was a recent graduate of the Teacher Preparation Programme – a programme provided by the Academies that trains teachers to become IB educators in their communities – and is now the PYP coordinator at AKA Mombasa. Laboni recalls Titus being filled with great enthusiasm and eagerness as he wanted to know everything about her class including the assessment techniques, books she has students read, any material created for the class and much more.
“Partnering with Laboni was such an enriching experience,” Titus said. “Her flexibility and open-mindedness made our collaboration easier and enjoyable. Years have gone by and yet her enthusiasm and unique way of engaging with the young learners is still memorable.”When AKA Hyderabad transitioned to online learning in March 2020 due to COVID-19, Laboni said there were a few challenges she faced but was able to overcome due to the support she received from the Academy.
“In the PYP we have always used technology as a learning and teaching tool. However, when we shifted to complete online teaching, building the bridge with new students I had never met before was the biggest challenge. With physical teaching, I was able to bond with my students on a personal level, but this changed with distance learning.
However, the Academy always supported me and made me feel comfortable working on a virtual platform with a new group of learners. Assigning me to be a part of various online professional development sessions was immense support as it helped me develop my understanding of the application of various teaching tools. The virtual learning and teaching also enabled me to look at my own teaching philosophy through a different lens and reimagine my teaching strategies. Now, it is my greatest joy and top priority to see my students online and have personal conversations with them.”Laboni said she cannot imagine her future without the Academy being a part of it. She is always involving herself in different roles throughout the Academy in order to connect with more students beyond the PYP and see how they turn their passions into reality. Laboni also said she is fortunate to be a part of a community that is continuously supportive and where she is encouraged to grow each day as an educator and individual.
“The greatest part about delivering education at the Academy and being a part of its community is that every day is a learning experience for me. I am always excited to see my students become open-minded young adults, chasing their greatest passions in life and thinking about how to make the world a better place for all.”
Anjum Budhwani - living her dream
Anjum has been teaching since the time she was an undergraduate student. She began as a volunteer at her community Religious Education Centre as part of the Institute for Ismaili studies’ Ta’lim programme, a course designed to introduce children to the faith, ethics, history and cultures of Muslim peoples and of the Ismaili community in particular. “Compassion builds a strong relationship between teacher and student,” she says. “If a teacher is caring and loving the student feels safe with her, and learning will happen successfully in turn.”
Anjum received her first bachelor’s degree in commerce from Hyderabad’s Osmania University, and went on to collect another bachelor’s in education followed by a master’s degree when she decided to become a teacher. Her aspiration was to join the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, and she realized this dream in 2012. “I feel elated when I hear people saying ‘She works at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.' ” It was also her mother’s dream to see her daughter become a teacher.
Though she says every day at the Academy is special, some days have been more special than others. “I cherish the day when His Highness the Aga Khan was here on 15th April 2015,” beams Anjum, remembering some his words to our teachers. “He mentioned that there will be difficult times while you are teaching and learning and you will have failures during your journey of teaching. But remember the result and keep the goal in your mind that we are working towards creating future leaders and that it’s not going to be easy.” These words are a part of what inspire Anjum to teach at the Academy and to better herself as a facilitator to young students.
One of her favourite things about teaching at the AKA Hyderabad is discussing teaching practices with her colleagues. Anjum has imbibed the philosophy of being a lifelong learner; learning from her colleagues, she explains, has been key to her growth as a teacher. “We have regular and ongoing professional development, which has provided me with a lot of opportunities to improve myself,” shares Anjum. “Sharing best practices, professional development reading, action research and other platforms where we get to learn from each other gives us the chance to reflect on our learning and teaching process.”
These collaborative efforts have helped Anjum grow into the ideal PYP teacher who believes in giving her students voice, choice and ownership in their school work. “I design assessments and learning engagements with students in order to provide them with ownership and accountability in their learning.” Miss Anjum’s classroom is decorated with student input, with students also influencing their seating arrangement. In her class you will see the Innovation Corner, where students create new things from recycled material. Students of 3K have a duty list, where students are given charge of classroom resources like books and stationery. Giving students responsibility and ownership of their space this way helps allows them an early understanding of stewardship.
“She endeavors to exemplify stewardship through her actions,” says Academy Junior School Principal, Sreelatha Kumar. “Equanimity and her unquestionable commitment are her best qualities." Sreelatha adds that it is remarkable how Anjum deals with adults and children with the same grace and evenness.
It is very common that parents visiting the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad Junior School, upon seeing students in the sand pit or in the art room, wish that they could have done their primary education here. Should they peep into Miss Anjum’s grade 3 classroom, they will understand that it is teachers like her whom they missed having in school, because they are the ones who help create the idyllic aura of a primary school.
Written by Ajay Sundaram
Meet Our School Community
Spotlights on Alumni
Although it has been a few years since he graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Alqaim Lalani, Class of 2019, says his years at the Academy had a major bearing on his academic career and strongly influenced his outlook on life. Now, as a graduate of Columbia University in New York, Alqaim is giving back to the Aga Khan Academies community that he says shaped his life and gave him so much.
Jemin Patel’s journey to where he is now is the result of hard work and passion, values he picked up during his time at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. Now, he's working at one of Canada's top accounting and consulting firms, still standing by the notion, "hard work always wins."
Muskaan Bhaidani is an alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who was in the Class of 2020. Graduating with an impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) score of 44 out of 45, Muskaan is now attending McGill University in Montreal, Canada.
Anahita Aman, a graduate of the batch of 2020 was here at the academy for 8 years. Currently pursuing History at University College London, she hopes to build a career in International Development.
Congratulations to the Class of 2022! We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see what you do next. As we welcome our new graduating class to our alumni community, we asked four distinct graduates from the Aga Khan Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad about their journeys and aspirations.
Qamili Dave, a 2017 alumna of AKA Mombasa, discovered her passion for the culinary arts during her AKDN DP1 Internship at Serena Beach Hotel. Since then, she has gone on to pursue her passion for cooking, including undertaking Harvard courses to perfect her skill. What Qamili loves most about being a chef is preparing a good satisfying meal that warms the hearts of people.
Lilian Odera, a 2015 alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and recipient of the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow (ILOT) award, is the embodiment of a true leader and agent of change. True to form, she has a passion for actively being involved in community-based initiatives to influence change and creatively find solutions to issues in whatever way she can.
Aleesha Suleman, a graduate student at UCL-Qatar, has never lost sight of what has always been important to her: giving back to her home country of Kenya.
Raghuveer Vyas, director of the United Nations Initiative at New York University, is on a mission to bring change to the world through policy development and fostering a continuous dialogue between international leaders and the youth.
Hussein Jiva graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa after what he feels was a transformative journey.
With a determination to change her country into a land of opportunity for all, Anzhela Mirzoeva, a recent graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will further her education at the Connecticut College in the United States by studying International Relations and Human Development.
For Alqaim Lalani, his recent graduation from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa brings him one step closer to realising his dream of attaining a deeper understanding of how economics and politics affect the world around is. Alqaim will be enrolling at Columbia University in fall 2019, as a prestigious Kluge scholar.
''I do not want a career in something predetermined for me from this age. When I am asked where I will be 15 years from now, I can promise you it will not be cooped up in an office doing routine work. I will probably be out there inventing something meaningful and purposeful, something which can be used to change the world.”
The International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is essential in enabling the Academies to develop well-rounded leaders of tomorrow. Hear from Zia Chapman, Class of 2018, and understand how this influenced her in choosing the Academy for her education. Zia is now a scholarship student at UBC in Canada.
Through the inquiry-based International Baccalaureate curriculum, the Aga Khan Academies aim to develop young individuals who will have the capacity to lead and to build strong civil democratic societies in the future. Hear from one of our alumni, Moiz Rajwani, Class of 2018, and see how we have been turning this vision into reality at the Academies. Moiz was awarded a scholarship at Western University in Ontario, Canada and enrolled in September 2018.
"I always wanted to work with people who spend every single day without any resources at their disposal, to work on the pressing issues that exist in India, issues that most of us never see through our rose tinted glasses."
“The IB curriculum followed at the Academy has played a pivotal role in building many essential skills for university life. Its skill-based learning approach, and connecting classroom learning to the real world, also prepared me well for higher education."
“The Academy helped me become comfortable with making mistakes and encouraged me to focus on identifying solutions instead – igniting an entrepreneurial spirit within me. It is this spirit which led me to take a year off, work on self-driving cars, build my own news-reading bot, experiment with developing a cloud-storage service and have the confidence to take the road less taken."
This 2014 AKA Hyderabad graduate is in some ways a time capsule from the Academy’s early years, and like a time capsule, she reminds us of things that have changed, and also about the things that have remained the same. “The Academy has made me the person I am today,” she says. “I wanted to give back to school what it has given me.”
Josephine Awino, alumna of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, will be attending Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies in environmental science. She shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Academy in which she developed a sense of self and fostered her passions.
Muriuku Njonjo graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa with the receipt of a full scholarship to the University of Waterloo in Canada. He shares a personal reflection about his time studying at the Academy: "The Academy changed my way of thinking, my way of doing things and informed my purpose in life."
Kamila Janmohamed graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa this year. Upon anticipating her upcoming start at Yale University, Kamila reflects on the intellectual growth and strong sense of self she has developed over the past four years at the Academy.
I love that my classes are filled with students from all parts of the country, irrespective of their financial standing or cultural background. I strongly believe it helps build our vision of pluralism.
Ariq Kapadia, alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, shares a reflection on his personal journey during his time at the Academies: "The experience that I had in those five years at the Academy continues to develop me further and make me more capable of success."
Inaara Sarfani shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. She explains that her time as a student there entirely shaped the person she is today and allowed her to develop a far-reaching skillset.
Joshua Abuto tells an inspiring and promising tale of what drives him to sustain his vision of making a difference in the lives of his fellow citizens in Kenya. A 2016 graduate of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Joshua is currently in his second year at the University of Texas at Arlington on a scholarship where he is studying computer science and engineering.
Khushboo Shah shares a reflection on her personal journey at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad: "I believe that the Academy’s dynamic vision has allowed me to believe in my imagination, passion and curiosity while pursuing ambitious projects."
Imtiyaz Hariyani credits the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad with giving him more than just the academic skills he needs to succeed at the undergraduate level. “The spirit that the Academy embedded in me has allowed me to emerge as a global scholar with the support of my family and lifelong friends that I made in Hyderabad and elsewhere,” he explains.
An alumus of AKA Mombasa and University of California Berkeley, Rahim reflects: "The Academy helped me to grow to be the man I am today by instilling values of social conscience and intellectual curiosity that I continue to hold precious today."
Mary considers her time at the Academy in Mombasa to be a gift. With compassion and leadership, she is determined to help students with similar backgrounds succeed and receive the same opportunities she was granted.
Danish is global citizen with a creative approach to life. One of his many achievements is the award-winning app, Orai, which aims to make anyone become a better public speaker using artificial intelligence.
“The Academy helped instil within me a need to contribute to community where possible and a sense of self confidence and teamwork.”
“I believe that with education, people have the power to tackle and solve problems that affect their communities,” reflects Kelvin Njue, a graduate from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa who has benefitted from the Ontario Tuition Waiver Programme.
Ruhi Kamal Manek, an alumna of the Aga Khan Academies Mombasa, took away one enduring lesson from the Academy: the importance of engaging in thoughtful and careful consideration of diverse opinions.
Tanaz Hudda currently acts as the new poster girl for the University of Victoria. She graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad in 2016 and has just completed her first year of university in Canada.
Aleem Mawji shares his journey of self-discovery, which began at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa and continued towards creating tangible change.
Khushboo Khoja has a strong passion for helping others which she developed during her time at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. “I feel like my experience at the Academy was very significant as it made me realise that I am interested in working with social issues and trying to help communities,” she reflects.
Aman Punjani graduated from the Academy in 2016 and took a gap year to pursue his career as a competitive cyclist. Today, he is the U-23 Telangana state champion.
“Being part of an open-minded community that encouraged challenging what we were taught, the willingness to accept one another, and inspire each other to grow constantly, was very refreshing. I credit these experiences for much of who I am today.” – Dania Quadri, Academy alumna, class of 2014.
Aga Khan Academy graduate Joshua Tibatemwa swam for Uganda in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He credits the Academy with growing him not just academically but "as a person.” He plans to return to Uganda, saying, “If I want things back home to change, I have to work to be the change.”
“I think that at the end of the day what everything comes down to is how we can be citizens of the world and how we can change the world that we live in to make it a better place for ourselves and children that follow us. And part of that also means giving back to your own community,” says Karishma Bhagani.
"The Academy is an environment that challenges and nurtures leaders that are fearless, courageous and stewards. I have always envisioned growing up to be one myself."
Kashyap Gohel, who graduated from the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, tells us about his experiences and how the Academies contributed his many accomplishments.
Ham Serunjogi, an alumnus of the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, is a natural leader, bold thinker and team player. A recent graduate of Grinnell College in Iowa, Ham traveled widely before landing a job at Facebook. He has a passion for making connections that give back.
"There are a lot of values that the Academy instilled in me that I carry to this day. It has taught me importance of being aware of the community around us as well as giving back to the community whenever possible." Fatema's passion for helping those around her continues to be nurtured following her graduation from the Academy.
“I believe [Aga Khan Academy Mombasa] is where I shaped my values that I still hold to this day. It is also where I saw and felt the importance of building a community, no matter how large or small.” Indeed, the importance of these values to Mirabelle Arodi is obvious in her actions after graduation from the Academy.
Spotlights on Teachers
From the construction of the Aga Khan Academy Maputo’s very first buildings to some of its final facilities, Laura Ivens Brandão has been involved in the AKA Maputo’s development and expansion since the very beginning.
Laboni Banerjee recently celebrated her 10-year anniversary with the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad as a Grade 3 teacher. Throughout her time, Laboni has seen the Academy grow in size through the number of programmes, students and staff, making the Academy a second home for her she is grateful to be a part of.
When Milka Gatungoh joined the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2010 as the residential school nurse, she knew her experience was going to be exciting and fulfilling.
Since he joined the Academy in 2015, Titus has been a transformational leader. He is passionate about continuously developing effective teaching practices, thus giving students the best learning experiences. As he expresses, “There is no greater joy than nurturing young learners and witnessing them grow into more responsible, reflective and increasingly independent individuals.”
Joining the Academy virtually for the new academic year 2020 - 2021, our new Senior School Principal is excited to provide support to our teachers and collaborate with them in order to make as big an impact as possible as a group.
Shouquot Hussain was born and raised in India and has been the Vice Principal of the Diploma Programme (DP) at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa for seven years.
During her time at AKA Mombasa, Samantha Caras has transformed the University Counselling department by providing numerous resources to students and helping them apply to different universities around the world.
Participating in theatre and drama activities helped Rosa Jorge from a very young age. It gave her the courage to break out of her shell and now she wants to empower her students at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo with the same tools to become well rounded individuals.
Throughout the course of her teaching journey, Adilia Cabral has valued the importance of inclusivity in creating an engaging and fruitful environment in the classroom. She shares details of her evolution during her time at Aga Khan Academy Maputo.
Fiona Makena Kinyua graduated from the Teacher Preparation Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in June 2019 and is taking classrooms by storm, one student at a time.
Sincere, kind and down-to-earth. These are some of the words many at the Academy have repeatedly used to describe the Diploma Coordinator of the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.
For Idah Khan O'Neill, PYP Teacher Coach at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo, having the opportunity to join the Academies network and help realise His Highness the Aga Khan's vision for education in Mozambique is a privilege, as she shares: “It is my mission, in my capacity as a Teacher Coach, to be able to help realise this goal through play and creativity with regards to the way we teach and learn.”
For the Middle Years Programme (MYP) Coordinator, Rebecca Nichols, the sky is the limit when envisaging the future of the Aga Khan Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. More importantly, in her eyes, how the Academy keeps growing, shaping and expanding its role in the country and beyond must lie in the hands of students.
By using mentorship and seeing the potential in all of her students’, Harriet Chadwick, a Humanities teacher, helped her students understand and appreciate Humanities, while also encouraging them to become leaders.
With a community-centered and open-minded mindset, Clare McLaughlin, an Academy fellow, promoted new ideas and programmes, which enabled the Academy to grow in many ways.
Ajey, who holds several specialist degrees, ultimately found his calling teaching French at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad. “The unconditional love and acceptance I receive from my students is the best testimony to my professional accomplishments,” he says.
With the support of his colleagues, Stephen Nyundo, a Mathematics teacher and head of the department, has helped students implement strategies to help themselves and others in Mathematics.
“When we started out, we knew we had to set the standard for what the future would hold. The vision and the philosophy of His Highness the Aga Khan has been taught to us since when we were children; to see a culmination of this in the form of a school that aspires to raise leaders of tomorrow was immensely gratifying."
Throughout his time at AKA Mombasa, Ryan Herman, an Academy fellow, has worked on various projects and programmes at the Academy, all aimed at helping students realise their academic potential and more.
Ask Maike Silver, Junior School Principal at the Aga Khan Academy in Maputo, Mozambique, what attracted her to teach at the Academy. “The vision and mission of the Academy,” she states simply. “The vision to inspire young people into becoming future leaders of their countries. To actually have the ethical persuasion to make a difference in the lives of their countrymen.”
Anjum Budhwani always wanted to teach at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, and since she got the job seven years ago, every day of work has been special. “Compassion builds a strong relationship between teacher and student,” she says.
“I had the freedom to run and develop the department,” Chandra says, of being the first drama teacher at the school. “I have used this freedom to develop the students’ abilities in acting, communication, confidence, creativity and thinking skills.”
AKA Hyderabad catering manager talks about his experiences as an artist, an army man, and a chef. “A person can be responsible and efficient towards his job only when has known himself,” he says.
Students Cinzia Torriani (year 10) and Alisha Doshi (DP1) interviewed Alison Hampshire, the new Head of Academy at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. They discussed important themes in education, passions, dreams and life lessons.
They should always feel that I’m there for them, no matter the situation, or condition or time of day. You have to tailor yourself to the needs of the students... I change myself, as per their needs.
Jonathon Marsh has system-wide responsibility for teacher development at the Aga Khan Academies network and has worked for the Academies for the past 10 years. In this interview, he shares the highlights of his position at the Academies, and reflects on how the Academies are unique from other educational institutions: "I see the profession of teaching as critically important to the health and ongoing development of any society. As such, I can think of no better way to contribute to the betterment of humanity."
The Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP) is one of the Aga Khan Academies’ landmark teacher development initiatives. In this interview with Kamini Menon at the Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, TPP participant Maryam talks about the TPP’s unique aspects and her experience with the programme.
Pinto, a teacher at AKA Maputo, shares: “I chose a career in teaching because I like to share what I know with others, especially young people, to help them to overcome the challenges in life. Being a teacher is like taking care of something special, so I decided to take care of that special thing, walking together in order to discover the world around us.”
Inner delight and the satisfaction obtained from working for a cause are the rewards I seek from my work.
Sumeya Taquidir shares, “I am conscious that learning is a continuous process; every day we learn something new [which] makes me more curious to learn new things. That is why we have to be creative and dynamic teachers.”
“I have always been inspired by the philosophy and implementing agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network, and it brings me great joy to have found a way to realise that career aspiration."
Nuala, the Learning Student Support Coordinator in Mombasa, endeavours to improve social outcomes through strategic planning and capacity building at the local government and community level. She explains her role, her journey and the culture of pluralism at the Academies.
Bernardo learned from the Aga Khan Academies that knowledge cannot just be seen as something that starts and ends in a classroom, but that knowledge should also be applicable outside the classroom to solve real problems in real life.
“It’s been a great pleasure to share my previous teaching experience here at the Academy,” commented Surendra. “The Academy is filled with enthusiasm when it comes to sports, particularly swimming.”
“I wake up every morning and look forward to seeing my students in class.”
Courageous and confident, Maria Atalia Matola travelled out of Maputo, Mozambique for the first time in her life to teach at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya as part of the Aga Khan Academies’ Teacher Preparation Programme (TPP).
"What one must paint is the image of resemblance—if thought is to become visible in the world" - Rene Magritte.
“I have had the opportunity to grow and learn as both an educator and an individual through my interactions at the Academy and through daily life in Mombasa," reflects Andrew Jones, a teacher seconded to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa from Ontario. After his time at the Academy in Mombasa, Andrew has gained insight into three best teaching practices that he will share in Ontario.
Theresa Urist has always had a strong desire to support students in their academic careers, which led her to the position of Global Director of University Counselling in 2015 at the Aga Khan Academies.
Lucy Mwandawiro has been a chemistry teacher at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa for 11 years. However, she has grown and developed in many more areas, such as her involvement with the Educating Girls in Science project and her role as a dorm parent in the residences. Here, she shares some insights about her journey at the Academy.
“I think one of the biggest assets the Academy has is the diverse cultural background in the student body. Having players coming from all over the world from so many walks of life adds a unique element to playing as a team.”
Christine Robertson is a veteran Ontario teacher who began a secondment to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in April 2016. She talks about her experience of coming to Kenya and her first days of getting to know the Academy.
Vasanthi Thandlam, the Academy's Senior School English as an additional language specialist, has been selected as an Operation Smile sponsor for the Vietnam Medical Mission.
Spotlights on Students
Since he was 4-years-old, Ayaan Allarakhia has had a passion for music that has shaped his whole life. Over the years, the Grade 9 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has developed and strengthened his musical and performance skills. Now, after writing and releasing his own song and music video, Ayaan is on a mission to spread his love for music to all.
Naail Lakhani, a Year 5 student in Junior School, has demonstrated incredible maturity, leadership, and initiative since joining the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2018. His proudest achievement is founding the Junior School Coding Club, an after-school extracurricular activity to teach coding to young minds.
Mwanapwani Said joined the Academy through the Talent Identification Programme in 2017. Since then, she has availed herself of every opportunity to thrive. Her experience at the Academy has shaped her outlook on life and she has been inspired to make a difference in society.
When Raphael Mwachiti, a Diploma Programme (DP) student, got admitted to the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa on a fully funded scholarship through the Talent Identification Programme (TID) in 2015, he knew it was a life-changing opportunity.
Since a young age, Diploma Programme 1 student Cinzia Torriani has seen the environment around her deteriorate. Through the Academy's and her own personal initiatives, Cinzia is hoping for a greener tomorrow.
Year 9 student at AKA Mombasa Alyssa Jamal has played golf for almost her whole life – a sport that has taught her the importance of determination and focus.
Mahek Shah, a Diploma Programme student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, is driven to change the fact that the aviation industry is male dominated through her initiative called "Wings for Women." This young aviator chooses to be a pilot and not a passenger.
Aanya Athota, grade 4K, is currently the youngest student being accepted to appear for the highest graded music examination conducted by the prestigious Trinity College London. She dreams of becoming a global music icon and spreading peace through music to make our world a better place.
One day, a friend taught Ananya, grade 3, how to do a cartwheel. There was no turning back, and she recently won gold medals at two city competitions in 2018!
Meet Bilal, currently a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. For Bilal, studying at the Academy has instilled in him the value of learning whilst always thinking about the bigger picture: understanding how his studies today will impact the world tomorrow.
Paul Davis, the Dean of Admissions at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, has led the Talent Identification Programme for nearly ten years. The programme identifies students in Year 6 in Kenyan government schools, in deprived socio-economic and educational areas of Kenya, who are academically able and show leadership potential. This May, seven of these students graduated from the IB Diploma Programme. Paul shares their marvellous stories.
“The Academy has a very unique, highly diverse and multicultural environment,” says 2018 graduate,Tvisha Devavarapu. Set to pursue a career in biology and research, read about this house captain's experience studying and playing at the Academy.
“When I was learning robotics as part of the enrichment club I never imagined that I would become the captain for a robotics team,” says DP1 student, Rudra Potluri. Now approaching his 6th year at the Academy, Rudra reflects on the opportunities he’s had in his academic career so far and the ways in which he has grown.
Areesh Rehmani, a grade 6 student at the Aga Khan Academy Maputo, is a determined and dedicated learner. He has a passion for sports and a curiosity for scientific innovations and technological growth. Areesh shares how his learning is fuelled by the learner profile and by the values instilled in him at the Academy.
Passionate about animal rights, Shaivya Arya has used every opportunity possible to learn how to care for animals. “To save an innocent creature’s life, to help animals. It is time we make this a better world for us, for them, for all.”
Kelvin Bagthariya, a second-year Diploma student at Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad, believes the Academy has changed his mindset, teaching him to become independent, improving his self-esteem and allowing him to pursue his passion to make a change in his community.
Anahita Aman is in her seventh year at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad. She is full of hopes and dreams and strives to get the most out of her days at the Academy so that she can ultimately give back to the community and society at large.
Saifan Aswani, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, knows the value of taking the time to appreciate his surroundings. He credits his experience of the past three years at the Academy for instilling in him the discipline of hard work, an appreciation of diverse cultures and the motivation to pursue this responsibility.
In his final year of the Diploma Programme at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, Shad Bherani is ambitious, curious, and driven to become an engineer. Shad aspires to use his education and career as an engineer to give back and to serve his country and its people, by assisting in Pakistan’s development through technology.
Samy Natho Jina is not only a dedicated student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa - he is also a skilled and talented self-taught computer coder. Samy says, “For each and every project, I have spent countless nights out of my own free will fixing incorrect lines of code. It is my dream to make sure this talent and passion I have for software development and computers can be used to make this world a better place.”
"I can’t be racing while I’m on campus, so I decided to become an automotive journalist and am now the head author of an automotive blog, 'The Drive Hub.' "
Through a personal reflection, Arzoo shares her experience at AKA Mombasa as she reflects on her journey in her final year: "Through the Academy I have made many of my dreams a reality."
Attending school here has helped me recognise my potential, not just in studies but also in hobby sports! I love Scrabble and I want to become a professional player.
Being part of a team and also having been given positions of authority has taught me about leadership and the qualities one should inculcate to be an inspiring leader.
“To me, being ethical and humble are the most important things.”
Being a global citizen, leader and environmental enthusiast is no easy task. Prabhdeep Lochab’s story is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment that goes into innovating “green” solutions for a sustainable future.
Meet Sadiq, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. Open-mindedness, confidence and time management are some of the many characteristics he has developed at the Academy that will help him achieve his dream of becoming a journalist.
Meet Saumya, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. A musician and a leader, she shares her wisdom on what it means to make a true positive impact.
"Being able to stand in front of 250 students and fulfilling the opportunity to give them what I had been given, was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life."
Introducing Ivy, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. Her innate drive for self-growth and desire to give back to the community makes her a true home-grown leader.
This is Stephen, a student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa. His passion for community service shines as he expresses the growth in perspective he experienced through his education at the Academy.
Sahir Devani, grade 11, shares his experience as an Academy representative at the IB World Student Conference held at King’s College London, from 6-12 August 2017.
Sayema, currently in grade 11, directed and produced an impactful short film to create awareness on child rights for her IB MYP Personal Project.
“For me, the best part of school is when we have service class, because I am very keen on serving my society and helping the community around me develop faster.” - Sazil Ramani, grade 10, Aga Khan Academy Hyderabad.
“I came to this school searching for better opportunities and better facilities through which I can improve in sports and excel in music and studies,” says Samson. “I didn’t have these opportunities in my previous school and didn’t get a chance to play any sport.”
"I wish to continue sharing my knowledge, what I have learned and will continue to learn, with my society."
Advait Surana is a residential grade 10 student at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad. He was selected as one of 18 students from different schools to represent Telangana state at the national U-15 football tournament in Delhi in early September 2016.
Spotlights on Parents
Mrs Aneela Mukhi and Mr Altaf Mukhi, parents of Faliha Altaf Mukhi, share their experience: "Through our chain of observation, the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa surely plays an active role in the holistic development of every child. This is our consistent finding all through the two years of IB Diploma programme our daughter studied."
Junior School Open House – 10am to 2pm, Saturday 19th January 2019
We welcome PYP parents to visit the Academy for a chance to observe classes, engage with the principal, and tour the campus. Call 07893533933 to RSVP.
Ajey Balaji: His Unflinching Love For Teaching French
Should you find yourself in the dining hall during lunchbreak, you would find Ajey walking ahead followed by a trail of grade 7 students. The convoy travels from Senior School like an excited atom with Ajey as its nucleus and orbiting around him are a bunch of recent Junior School graduates, all immersed in deep conversation. At their lunch table, students will sit flanking Ajey on either side and sharing key insights of the day.
Post lunch, the crew may take a couple of minutes to test if the tree outside the Commons is still sturdy enough to hold a few 7th graders. On a hot summer day, Ajey will join them at basecamp under the benevolent shade of the tree, deeply invested in both, the safety of the children and to see just how far they can go.
Academy Junior School Open Day – 11:30am, Saturday 20th January
A special day for pre-school parents, teachers and heads to experience our PYP in action through classroom observations, principal interactions and campus tours. Call 040-66291313 for more info.