Every day we come across some amazing and unique individuals who stand out from the crowd. These leaders hunger to do something different, one of them being Alishba Khan Barech.
Barech is a self-published author from Balochistan who penned her debut novel at 11. It’s all the more difficult to publish your work when you live in a location where options are limited.
Despite the hurdles, the young writer published ‘Life Of A Millionaire Girl’ a commentary on society’s obsession with money, and how intangible assets should be given more relevance.
Uncanny!
When I wrote this book in 2014, I wasn't having the faintest idea of how long the journey would be. The first official printout for the editor lies beneath the published book & supports the fact that the accomplishment of dreams requires time🖤🌈🌟#AuthorCopy pic.twitter.com/jLcqpgbCZN— Alishba Khan Barech (@AlishbaKBarech) March 15, 2021
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During her winter vacations in 7th grade, a plot came to her mind. ‘It was my own creation and so I took a week simply brainstorming. Afterwards, everything was uncanny because the incessant stream of words came pouring in and eventually a whole story developed within my mind which I penned down in one of the diaries my parents had gifted me.’
And shortly afterwards, Alishba Khan Barech became a self-published writer. She was also honored by UNICEF as ‘Trailbalizer Author’.
Alishba also has a second book, The Rattles Of Catastrophe which is also self-published. Surprisingly, Alishba had always struggled with essays and keeping stories within the given word count. ‘I could never shorten any given text as I always wanted to elaborate everything further. Secondly, due to my inclination towards writing, I would wait the whole day for my English language class in school – that was when we did creative writing.’ She had shared in an earlier interview with a local publication.
Alishba had already authored 4 books by her 16th birthday and also won scholarship from Cambridge University for two consecutive years because of the essay competition.
In 2021, as a youth & mental-health ambassador for UNICEF, Alishba opened up about her struggles in writing and publishing a book while residing in a tribal society during her engagement with UNICEF’s global mental health awareness campaign ‘On My Mind’. She discussed her perspectives and potential steps to help those in need with the Regional Director of UNICEF, South Asia, Mr. George Laryea-Adjei.
Residing in a terrorism-ridden area herself, Alishba could resonate with the feelings of so many underprivileged children of Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was, therefore, a responsibility on her shoulders to voice their stories. Hopes & Apprehensions is an anthology of short fictional stories written to honor those children and teenagers. Alishba wrote it when she was 16.
According to her recent interview with Properganda, she has completed 6 major books by her 18th birthday and now 2 months away from her 20th birthday, Alishba has completed more than 10 titles. Her future stories will continue talking about her Pashtoon ethnicity, Pakistani nationality and Balochistan as a place of residence, “Furthermore, Islamophobia and Ocean related content, for, I am an ocean manic.” She concluded.