CIRCLE Team
Sadaffe Abid
Founder & CEO of CIRCLE
Sadaffe Abid is the Founder & CEO of CIRCLE promoting women’s economic empowerment through digital literacy, technology and entrepreneurship. CIRCLE is recognised as a Microsoft for Startup for using technology to solve pressing challenges. Sadaffe is an advocate for women’s advancement, digital and financial inclusion. She is former COO & CEO of Kashf Foundation that she helped grow to 300,000 women clients disbursing $200 million in micro loans.
Sadaffe is Vice Chairperson Pakistan Microfinance Network and former board member National Bank of Pakistan where she chaired the Inclusive Development Committee. Her work is profiled in Nicholas Kristoff’s book, Half the Sky. Sadaffe completed her Masters at the Harvard Kennedy School, Advanced Management Program at INSEAD and B.A. at Mount Holyoke College. She is a recipient of the Mount Holyoke Alumni Achievement Award.
Abeer Baz
Executive Manager Projects
Abeer Baz is the Executive Manager Projects at CIRCLE working on women’s economic empowerment through technology, and entrepreneurship. Abeer has 13 years of experience in the development sector, working on grassroot projects with underserved and downtrodden children and families. Abeer is former consultant at Learning Hubs,a project of Akhuwat. She completed her Masters in Development studies from Iqra University Islamabad. Her project while working as General Manager at Fazila Trust was nominated for King Hassan 2 World Water Prize award.
Mehak Fatima
Finance Manager
Mehak Fatima is an ACMA qualified professional and a member of ICMAP with 9 years of experience in the field of finance. She currently serves as the Finance Manager of Circle Women Association, where she is also a core team member. With her expertise in management accounting and her commitment to empowering women, Mehak has become a respected leader in her organization. Her dedication to her profession and her passion for promoting gender equality make her a valuable asset to CIRCLE.
Zahila Javed
Manager Digital Literacy Program
As the Project Head of the Digital Literacy Program, Zahila’s dream is to digitally and financially empower the women of our country. She has a diverse experience which includes serving as the HR head at TSG Pakistan and Unilever, as well as a research officer at LUMS and as a science teacher at LGS School System. She also owns a successful business, Zaisha Confectioners, which demonstrates her entrepreneurial skills. With her expertise and vision, Zaila is making a significant contribution to the lives of numerous women in the country through the Digital Literacy Program.
Noor Afzal
Digital Literacy Project Coordinator
My name is Noor Afzal and I have been working as the Digital Literacy Project Coordinator with CIRCLE for over a year now. My academic training is in the field of Development Economics. I completed my undergraduate from LUMS and also worked as Research Associate in public policy with the university post graduation. I then went on to attain a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Politics in Social Policy and Development. Working at CIRCLE has been an intellectually stimulating and fulfilling experience. CIRCLE’s critical work on female empowerment; with a drive to make a real impact on the lived experiences of women is a cause very dear to my heart. Apart from work, I also have my hands full with my 1.5 year old so another key life goal is cracking the work-life balance
Nabila Yaqoob
Manager Outreach Digital Literacy program
Nabila Yaqoob is working as the Manager Outreachfor the Digital Literacy Program. Her work is focused on empowering women from low income backgrounds by reaching out to them with the help of outreach organizations. She has 16 years of experience in the development sector, working on grassroots projects to uplift the underprivileged and underserved community. Nabila has worked with CIDA and ILO to empower women through entrepreneurship training and integrated support. She also has experience with the European Union to enhance the Livestock Services. She organized road shows across Punjab to encourage the investors to contribute to the development sectors under Punjab Board of Investment & Trade with the collaboration of Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Nabile has previously worked with Kashf Foundation for almost a decade.
Zainab Riaz
Program Manager Tech Karo & Tech Hubs
Zainab is a social development practitioner with four years of experience working with The Citizens Foundation and the CIRCLE Women Association, dealing primarily with underserved communities in Pakistan. She graduated with a Bachelors in Social Sciences and Liberal Arts from the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. Her motivation to work in the development sector stems from her commitment to improve the lives of the less privileged especially in Pakistani communities where access to resources is limited and inequality is widespread. She is a strong advocate for Women Empowerment and Quality Education for all which led her to work with organizations like TCF, doctHERs and a project by the British Council called Women Of the World Festival, the first of its kind in Pakistan. Zainab has a proven track record of effectively managing and implementing large-scale volunteer projects across Pakistan with TCF. Her journey with CIRCLE started in 2022 when she joined the Tech Karo team as Program Manager – a role that combined her passion for women empowerment and education. While working at CIRCLE, her vision is to drive projects that create measurable growth, maximize impact and improve the circumstances of the youth and women in Pakistan.
Asma Qadri
Co-Manager She Loves Tech Pakistan and Elevate
Program Manager She Loves Tech Sindh and ELEVATE
Asma provides managerial support to CIRCLE’s team. She received her LLB from University of London and her Masters from Kings College London with a focus on Criminal Justice. Asma developed a strong sense of devotion for the women in Pakistan after moving here and working on a small project in interior Sindh. She has an experience of 6 years and is constantly on a learning curve to improve the quality of life for the women of Pakistan. She started working at CIRCLE in 2020 and has seen the team and has played a huge role in the continuous expansion of different projects. Asma also actively works in bringing visibility to CIRCLEs work and has brought Voice of America and BBC Urdu to cover the journey of beneficiaries. Besides working, Asma volunteers by offering pro-bono law services to the women across Sindh. She is also an avid lover of animals and actively helps in rescuing strays. She has a firm belief in equality and wants to make the world a better place for humans and animals, both.
Areen Shahid
Co-Lead She Loves Tech Pakistan
Areen Shahid is the co-lead for the Pakistan Chapter of She Loves Tech. As a Co-lead at She Loves Tech, Areen Shahid is a prominent advocate for women entrepreneurship in Pakistan. She has been selected to represent her country at three fully-funded International Leadership Events and Summits, and has worked for over 5 years in the developmental sector. Areen is passionate about empowering women in Pakistan, and works tirelessly to support them through organising and facilitating workshops, training, and competitions across the country.
With a Post-grad degree in Public Policy and Economics, she has gained valuable insights into the policy apparatus for the developmental sector. Her initiatives are focused on creating positive change and purposeful causes. Areen strongly believes that thoughtful conversations and social media are powerful tools for change in the contemporary world.
Muhammad Saqib
Manager Monitoring
A PMP-certified professional with 13+ years of experience in various capacities in multiple civil society organizations, Saqib has a proven track record of increasing the credibility and capacity of NGOs through meticulous planning, monitoring, evaluation, and the implementation of effective project controls. He has successfully completed more than 20 projects from their initial stages.
Fazli Hadi
Research Manager
Fazli Hadi is a passionate and accomplished researcher who is dedicated to advancing women entrepreneurship and promoting inclusivity in the informal labor force in Pakistan. As the Head of Research at CIRCLE Women Association, Fazli has implemented innovative models to improve the lives of women entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy. With a post-graduate degree in Public Policy, Fazli has presented his research on national and international platforms, demonstrating his expertise in women entrepreneurship, gender minorities, and ethical consumption. Fazli believes that research on the ground can inform policies to better support women entrepreneurs and workers in the informal economy, ultimately strengthening Pakistan’s economy. His contributions to the sector have been recognized and appreciated, and he continues to strive for a more supportive and inclusive environment for these groups in Pakistan.
Sarah Ansari
Communications Manager
Sarah Ansari is a marketer, branding enthusiast and content specialist with 7+ years of experience in the entrepreneurship, education and health industry. Currently she is working as a Manager Communications at CIRCLE Women Association, a tech non-profit working for women’s economic empowerment. Sarah has led communications for high impact projects previously which include Chief Minister’s eRozgaar Program, the largest freelancing project in Punjab built under PITB’s entrepreneurship wing. She has also been the team lead marketing for the COVID Vaccination launch at Chughtai Healthcare in 2021, along with implementing the ‘Executive Healthcare’ product in 300+ locations nationwide. Sarah has a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from NUST H-12 Campus Islamabad and writes frequently in her free time.