Muniba Mazari speaks for 10 minutes and 20 seconds. Wow, what a rare inspirational real life success story of a Pakistani Artist and Tough Minded Optimist. The best motivational episode, I have ever heard or viewed on Facebook. Must be listened and viewed by everyone.
Muniba Mazari is an artist, an activist, a writer and a motivational speaker. She believes in playing with vibrant colors and flawless portrayal of true emotions. Her work speaks her heart out and is all about people, their expressions, dreams and aspirations. Although wheel chair bound, her spirit and artistry knows no bounds. In fact, she takes the agony of spinal cord injury as a challenge and is more determined to express her sentiments through her art work.
While doing her bachelor in fine arts she met a road accident which made her paraplegic. Currently, she is running her brand by the name ‘Muniba’s Canvas’ with the slogan ‘Let Your Walls Wear Colors’. She is a mix media artist and believes in depicting the ethnic jewels of her region in an abstract way. Some of her work is purely abstract which depicts the humans’ expressions, their thoughts and dreams. Her paintings give the message of living life and represent the real personality of the artist.
“Although it is hard to paint being a paraplegic, it is not easy to paint with a free mind when you are wheelchair bound, yet I know it is the only way through which I can spread the message of strength and courage. So I forget my pain and paint for myself, I paint for people as I believe in spreading the message of ‘Never Give Up’.”
A Singer, A Model
She is also Pakistan’s first wheelchair-bound model Campaign: Women of Substance!
She is an activist against gender violence.
“All of us are blessed to even be alive; even waking up every morning is a gift! I see life as a gift to us and we show our appreciation by deciding what to do with it; using it positively is our gift back to life. But those who wake up and never embrace the moment in a positive and grateful manner automatically place themselves in a paralyzed position without true freedom like a caged animal. Living life in a dead state. It is very simple: I wake up and since I am paralyzed – unable to sit up on my own or roll over by myself or get in my wheelchair without assistance – I can without a doubt say I am caged by my body. But, I am not caged by my spirit. With a spirit that is free, you effortlessly open that cage and release the essence of being truly alive and are capable of roaming anywhere your heart desires!”
With one of the Heroes of Peshawar APS attack, Waleed and his little brother!
Very soon to be Pakistan’s first wheelchair-bound TV Host
And an amazing mother of a 3-year-old
She is also a paraplegic, having lost control of both legs in a car accident. Through her vibrant paintings, she expresses in bold colours the strength of her own personality. Her purpose is to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. Her inspirational talk at TedX Islamabad motivated thousands and made her known across Pakistan. She recently released a video of her visit to the Army Public School, Peshawar. Dawn spoke to her about her amazing journey.
Q. Do you feel resentful when you think about the accident which left you handicapped for life?
A. When the car started going into a ditch, I knew this was the end of my life. When I gained consciousness I was reciting the kalma and thinking I have been given a new life. Half of my body was fractured and the rest paralysed. I neither complain nor blame anyone. I believe it was destined to happen. I was 20 years old at the time and had not done anything special in my life. Today, I know where I am going and my life is important to me.
Q. Following the accident, how did you develop yourself as the person that you are today?
A. I began painting while I was still at the Agha Khan Hospital. I was bandaged all over and could barely move my hands but painted because I wanted to distract myself. Today, I work at a school for underprivileged children. My aim is to find donors and philanthropists who would fund the school so that more children may be enrolled. I am also a part of Toni and Guy’s wheel chair modelling campaign, the brand ambassador for the Body Shop Pakistan and Pond’s miracle woman.
Q. How was your visit to Army Public School Peshawar?
A. It was an amazing experience. I went there more than one month after the attack on January 19. I wanted to go when the fanfare was over. I connected with the students. We cried, we sang songs. As we were singing national songs, the word martyr came up and I could not help but break into tears. I thought of all those children who had been martyred at the school. I told the students they are ghazis (righteous conquerors). Later, I went to the Combined Military Hospital where four students were under treatment. One of the students, Waleed, had been shot in the face. He has had several surgeries yet in one of the photographs I took with him, he had the strength to smile. It was truly inspirational.
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