Shad Begum

Shad Begum (شاد بیگم) is a social worker from Pakistan. In 2012 she received the International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State. 
Life.
Shad comes from a conservative and religious family. She is the first woman in her family to study in a university. Shad's family supports the political party named Jamaat-i-Islami, a conservative religious party. Shad says she always got support for her work from her father, her brothers, and her husband. 
Work.
In 1994, Shad started the Association for Behaviour and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT). The organization helps women in the area with projects for education, politics, and health. It also has projects for bridges, pumps, wells, streets, and loans for small business. The association gets its money from the Pakistani government and from international groups.
Difficulties.
Shad had many problems because the society is conservative and dominated by men. There are very few working women. When the Taliban came to the area, Shad was threatened, so she moved the office to Peshawar. When Shad received the International Women of Courage Award, she asked news reporters not to write about it, because she was afraid.