Born in Pakistan, he enjoys volunteering and community service.  Prior to his arrival in Australia in 2013 he had been active in progressing scholarships for girls with limited education options in that country.

Coming to Australia he has sustained that commitment to the community.  He commented that by so being it has greatly assisted his integration into our society.  That remark undersells a ready observation of an intrinsic drive and capacity to help people far beyond that stated purpose of integration.

We learnt that he was inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Hoppers Crossing at the Annual Changeover Dinner in June 2014 and already has initiated new programs in the Club’s Youth portfolio. The Neil Vick Youth Leadership Awards recognize youth people in the community in three categories – Inspirational Youth Leader of the Year; New Resident Leader of the Year; Young Indigenous Leader of the Year.  Khurram’s most recent project is a Cluster program that seeks to provide mentors from within the Rotary community for young people in the local community to inspire and help them to achieve their career objectives.

Beyond all that Rotary involvement he also volunteers within the University of Melbourne community as well as sectors within his local community.  He recently retired from the role of Co-ordinator of the Sail Program, teaching general and science subjects to newly arrived migrants or settled Sudanese students.

Khurram’s volunteering has earned him a number of awards including the New Resident Volunteer of the Year within the Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Awards in 2014 and Young Volunteer of the Year Award – Wyndham City Council in 2015.

After modestly and quickly relating his volunteering experiences Khurram told of his thoughts on Rotary and its capacity to attract young people.  This was a challenging moment for the audience. Perceived myths, of being conspiracy driven, a rich mans business group and focused on personal "joy" were wrong, rather young people saw in Rotary a trusted resource, a non-threatening environment,  and a source of a multitude of skilled experienced individuals with a capacity to mentor and provide project planning and goal setting objectives.  

Bridging the generational barrier was critical, as was blending in the attributes which youth offers to various Rotary programs --diversity, simple physical muscle,  new ways of thinking and resetting of "norms'" in line with present trends in the world.

In response to the obvious question re his thinking on how to attract youth into Rotary,  Khurram would concentrate on connecting with groups of younger people instead on individual approaches.   He talked of an idea for a youth driven meeting perhaps in the evening.   This might flow from expanding connections with RYPEN and RYLA awardees and local youth organizations/universities.  The aim would be to create an occasion to attract a young audience to discuss Rotary and its(and other) projects.

All in the meeting felt it was a great presentation from an impressive young man and we wished him well in his future endeavors and doubtless continuing community driven projects.   Thanks Khurram.