What happens when young people step outside their comfort zones, face the unfamiliar and learn to navigate challenges together? They discover what it truly means to lead.
From 4–8 October 2026, eight Orange Tree Foundation (OTF) scholars participated in the Markhor Fellowship, Pakistan’s First Wilderness-Based Youth Leadership Fellowship, hosted by Youth Impact in Kaghan, Pakistan. As an institutional partner and sponsor of the scholars, OTF was proud to make this experience possible for them.
This year’s theme, Ba-Ekhtiyaar, centred on taking ownership of one’s decisions and recognising the power to shape one’s own future.
Unlike a conventional classroom experience, the Markhor Fellowship places young people in unfamiliar environments, bringing together strangers and challenging them to navigate real-life situations. Through teamwork, competition, time-bound challenges and interactions with diverse communities, participants learn to adapt, communicate and understand their own responses under pressure.
Learning to Lead, Discovering Yourself
For our scholars, the experience offered lessons that extended far beyond leadership.
Hiten Kumar reflected on learning about empathy, hearing from industry experts and interacting with diverse communities. He also highlighted the challenge of managing teams under time pressure.
Faisal Akber described Ba-Ekhtiyaar as having the authority to make the right decisions in life, identifying teamwork and communication as key takeaways.
For others, the most meaningful lessons came through personal reflection. Mahnoor Saleem spoke about learning to lead and remain grateful even in difficult circumstances. Akhyar Ahmed highlighted leadership, gratitude and discovering one’s purpose, expressing his appreciation to OTF for believing in him and sponsoring his fellowship.
Abuzar Ali reflected on the opportunity to understand his own characteristics, consider his future and think about the impact he hopes to leave on society and the world.
