Meet Sohaila Rahman, a sportswoman, mentor and Fulbright Fellow whose journey from the mountainous valleys of northern Pakistan to the halls of academia in Texas began at the Aga Khan Higher Secondary School (AKHSS), Hunza, where she graduated in 2010.

As a child, Sohaila spent much of her time playing sports outdoors, often with a ball made of socks. “We did not have much,” she recalls. “I played with whatever I could find.”

But it wasn’t only a lack of facilities. Playing sports also meant navigating cultural boundaries. “Back then, you rarely saw girls playing outside,” she says. “I mostly played with my grandfather or uncle, because my family was very supportive.”

When Sohaila joined AKHSS, Hunza, everything began to change and those early games turned into something greater. “The school not only shaped my academic background,” she says, “but also offered the support and freedom I needed to grow my passion for sport. It gave me space to be myself, and for the first time, I could see what that meant standing on a real sports field with proper equipment.”

At school, Sohaila played volleyball, cricket and badminton – and volleyball quickly became her favorite. “I would practise every day, both at school and with my uncle after class,” she recalls. Regular inter-club and inter-school competitions became her training ground and faculty members were among her earliest fans.

“My principal used to cheer me on from the sidelines, saying ‘Sohaila, you got this!’,” she says.

One memory from her school days stands out in particular: “When I received the Best Player Award at our graduation ceremony, the first time a student was ever given that honour, my parents were in the audience. Seeing their pride was unforgettable.”

During her years at AKHSS, Sohaila realised that sports and life are not so different. “On the court, you win and lose, just like in life,” she says. “Each loss teaches you something new, just as every mistake in life helps you improve.”

Thriving on and off the court

The confidence and discipline Sohaila developed at AKHSS, Hunza helped her excel as an athlete. She went on to represent Gilgit-Baltistan and other regions in provincial and national volleyball tournaments. Later, she trained at Pakistan’s top volleyball camp under a coach from Iran, where she learned about teamwork, focus and what it means to compete with purpose.

She proudly represented Pakistan at an international multi-sport event in Dubai, standing alongside athletes from around the world: “Playing for Pakistan was a dream,” she says. “It showed me how far hard work and support can take you.”

Sports also opened doors off the court. Sohaila earned a fully funded scholarship for her master’s degree in Sports Science and Physical Education at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. She went on to win gold in the Inter-Varsity Games, representing her university at the national level.

“Everything was free for me because of sports,” she says. “It gave me education, opportunity and a sense of purpose.”

Giving back to school and community

University life showed Sohaila how many opportunities were available for women in sports. "After graduation, I wanted other girls from Hunza to see those possibilities too," she says.

She knew there were girls like her, full of talent and passion but unsure if they were allowed to dream that big. "I wanted to help them find their voice, just as my school helped me find mine."

That realisation brought her back to AKHSS, Hunza, as a senior physical education instructor. For three years, she trained and mentored young girls, coaching volleyball, organising tournaments, offering counselling, and leading sessions on confidence and mental well-being.

She also shared her own journey to inspire her students. "I told them about the scholarships available for women in sports science and physical education," she says. "I wanted them to see what was possible, that the opportunities I found after graduation could be theirs too." Sohaila later founded the Himalayan Amazons Sports Club, bringing together women and girls from Hunza and neighbouring valleys to train, compete and support one another.

Several of her former students went on to compete at regional and national levels, which was her proudest achievement. "Seeing my students play and grow gave me such joy," she says. "Their confidence, their mental and physical health, everything improved. That was what mattered to me most."

Many of her students came from families hesitant to let their daughters play. "At first, some parents thought sport was a waste of time for girls," she recalls. "They would tell me, ‘What’s the point? You will never make a living from this.’ But then they saw my achievements representing Gilgit-Baltistan, studying in Lahore and later going abroad."

Gradually, attitudes began to shift. "Now those same parents encourage their daughters to play."

Crossing continents: From Hunza to Texas

Sohaila’s passion for sports and inclusion took her beyond the mountains of Hunza, all the way to Texas. In 2021, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study kinesiology, health promotion and recreation at the University of North Texas.

Adjusting from Hunza’s close-knit community to a large, diverse American university was both exciting and challenging. “When I came here, it was difficult to talk to people,” she says. “Back home we have a collectivist culture; here, everything is individualistic. It took time to adjust.”

For her master’s research, Sohaila explored the experiences of young South Asian women participating in sports in the United States. “I wanted to understand what other women from my part of the world go through,” she explains. “When I first came, I found it hard to join teams or approach people, so I wanted to know if others felt the same.”

Her study became her first published paper, highlighting barriers and opportunities for women navigating new cultures through sport. “Sports can make women more confident,” she says. “It’s not just about competition, it’s about belonging.”

Today, as a PhD candidate in human performance and movement science at the University of North Texas, Sohaila focuses on adapted physical activity: how sports and movement can create opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully and confidently.

“People with disabilities are not different, they are part of us and should be treated equally,” she says. "Back home there are almost no facilities for them, and I want to advocate for more inclusive education and sport.”

Levelling the playing field

Sohaila often reflects on how her time at the Aga Khan Higher Secondary School, Hunza shaped not only her education but also her sense of purpose. “Those early days taught me humility and resilience,” she says. “No matter how far I go, I will always stay connected to my school.”

The lessons she learned there continue to guide her, from mentoring young athletes in Hunza to researching inclusive sport in Texas. “Build your skills, stay confident and never forget where you come from,” she says. “If a girl from a small valley in the mountains can come this far, so can you.”

Looking ahead, Sohaila hopes to return home and use her research to make sports and physical education more inclusive, particularly for young women and people with disabilities. “Everyone deserves the chance to move, learn and belong,” she says.