Amal Fellowship: A learning journey that enlightened my soul
Three months ago, if anyone had told me this fellowship would teach me to live beyond work-life balance, I wouldn’t have believed them. Initially, I joined Amal Academy to grow professionally and learn to communicate in a corporate environment. Did I learn all these? Yes, but there is so much more than what meets the eye.
First things first, Amal Academy is a place that is a safe space for exploring your personal and professional strengths & weaknesses. You form a great attachment to the facilitators, mentors, and fellows through class activities, formal and informal interactions; it binds you with a special spirit.
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The moment that has stayed with me most from the fellowship is my one-on-one session with my program manager. I had been struggling with my new job role and its requirements, so I went to her for a private discussion, not knowing what to expect.
She began by reassuring me. Then she gave me proper feedback, highlighting my strengths first, and after that she gave me a clear framework for working on my weaknesses. It was a very practical learning experience. She did not sugarcoat but led me politely and positively, and made me see myself beyond the insecure and regressive perspective I had built for myself.
That conversation helped me have confidence in myself and stop running away from my mistakes and from myself. I realized that I need to trust myself. I also learned that the trust other people have in you can help you gather your insecurities, dissect them, and view them through a different lens. Before this, I never felt that I was capable. Now I know I don’t need to downplay myself.
This realization did not come from me alone. I was surrounded by fellows who work hard on their projects and on themselves, and who are open-minded enough to discuss work, problems, and stories. When I missed a class, my learning group told me everything that happened and helped me with my homework, even though I struggle with asking for help. When I opened a call to record everyone’s reflection interviews, many fellows joined and felt happy about it. The mock interviews also showed me that I have social and communication skills I can utilise and that people are rooting for me. Honestly, I don’t think I would have reached this idea on my own. It was my environment, my fellows, and my facilitators who helped me see that I am capable.
If a similar situation came up again, where I am face to face with my weakness and feedback. I would do things differently now. For a long time, I was doing about 70 percent and still getting by, and it made me feel worse. I don’t want to be performative. I want to be real, and I can do that by preparing beforehand and carefully analysing my work. I would push through, do the work, and not hide from it. Before this fellowship, I thought people were simply naturally talented and that habits couldn’t be built. Now I see that habits can be built with the support of people around you, when you trust yourself and change your environment. I want to build habits today that support my tomorrow. Fellowship is not just about learning professional skills. It is about changing your life.
