Student Spotlight: Raheem Ebrahim
Student Spotlight features exceptional achievements and initiatives by our students. This month, we’re featuring Raheem Ebrahim.
Every Sunday, Raheem Ebrahim ’25 sits down at his desk, opens his laptop, and connects with students on the other side of the world. He teaches basic English skills to children 11 to 13 years old who attend school in the north of Pakistan, in a program that he calls Raheem’s Reading Room. Raheem’s lessons complement English classes the students take at their school in Pakistan. Focusing on pronunciation and comprehension, they read aloud and discuss passages from classic fables and short stories such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
On a trip to northern Pakistan when he was 12, Raheem Ebrahim noticed something about the students he saw. “I realized I had so much more access to resources than them.” Encouraged by his paternal grandfather, Raheem decided he wanted to offer his help. “I'm a native English speaker so I can help them develop their skills.”
Every Sunday, Raheem Ebrahim ’25 sits down at his desk, opens his laptop, and connects with students on the other side of the world. He teaches basic English skills to children 11 to 13 years old who attend school in the north of Pakistan, in a program that he calls Raheem’s Reading Room. Raheem’s lessons complement English classes the students take at their school in Pakistan. Focusing on pronunciation and comprehension, they read aloud and discuss passages from classic fables and short stories such as The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Raheem’s inspiration for this volunteer work was his grandfather, who is from the same area of Pakistan as Raheem’s students. “My grandpa tries to do as much as possible back where he came from, to develop those regions that are underdeveloped.” In fact, his grandfather’s charitable pursuits align with Raheem’s, supporting schools in the north of Pakistan and providing the opportunity for Raheem to connect with students. His mother also supports this initiative, taking on program coordination tasks and teaching a class herself.
Raheem began his volunteer work in September 2022 and is already seeing the fruits of his labour. “One of the students sent me a picture of his test on WhatsApp, and he had scored well on his English pronunciation,” he says. “That was nice to see.” He’s hoping to grow the program during his time at Crescent and pass it on to his brother, Rais, who is currently in Grade 7. “We’d love to get more volunteers because a one-on-one session would be really beneficial for students. They’d get focused, concentrated effort and time addressing their needs and challenges.”
Raheem’s motivation can be summed up simply: “Give them the best education you possibly can so that one day, they can go out into the world and flourish.”
