Kashmir's First Homegrown Fellowship Could Change Everything

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Mool Fellows

Not many things in Kashmir start from within. Most programs come from outside, wrapped in promises, leaving just as fast as they arrived. But this one is different. It's built in Kashmir, by Kashmiris, for Kashmir's youth. And it might just change everything.

It's called RISE UP: The Sustainable Kashmir Fellowship-a 7-month full-time journey where young people are taught to lead, serve, and build with purpose. Not with slogans. With skills.

Run by MOOL Sustainability Research and Training Center in Ganderbal, with support from Royal Enfield, this fellowship is rooted in the idea that Kashmir's future should be shaped by those who live here. Ten young people, aged 18 to 30, will be chosen. The fellowship begins in July. Applications are open now.

“This is where my life changed,” said Nusrat Farooq, a fellow from the last batch.“I didn't have a clear plan. But I had questions. MOOL gave me the space to explore those questions-and build something real.”

What makes RISE UP stand apart is its honesty. It doesn't sell success stories. It creates conditions for growth. Fellows live and learn together in a residential space in Kashmir. They work with experienced mentors. They go on field immersion to Himachal Pradesh. They design their own projects. They fail. They try again. And they keep going.

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The program teaches personal leadership, ecological entrepreneurship, and service-based careers. But the real curriculum is deeper: How do you build resilience? How do you stay grounded? How do you lead when everything around you is uncertain?

There's a monthly stipend. One-on-one coaching. A supportive peer group. An internship at the end. But above all, there's belief-belief that young Kashmiris can build what the region needs. Not someday. Now.

So many young people in the Valley are drifting-not because they don't care, but because no one has ever shown them what's possible. This fellowship doesn't hand out answers. It hands you the tools to find your own.

The process is selective. Ten fellows only. Three steps: an application, a phone call, and a final interview. That's it.

If you're reading this and thinking, I don't know if I'm ready, that's exactly why you should apply. No one ever really feels ready before their life changes.

📅 Applications close June 10, 2025
🔗 Apply now

Kashmir has waited long enough for opportunities to come from outside. Now, it's time to rise from within.

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