Aqsa Ajmal completed her Industrial Design degree from the NUST School of Art, Design, and Architecture. Even though Miss Ajmal was unsure of whether or not this degree was for her; she has now been making headlines.

She designed a sewing machine for the visually impaired and presented the concept for the Lexus Design Award 2020.

About Lexus Design Award

Lexus Design Award started in the year 2013, with an incentive to encourage young and innovative inventors to think outside the box and showcase their talents. The 8th Lexus Design Award was held in Milan, where 2042 people sent their proposals from 79 different countries.

The participants had to incorporate the three principles into their own inventions and idea; Anticipate, innovate and captivate. 6 Finalists were to be chosen, who would be given the opportunity to an exclusive membership program in New York City.

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The finalists under the leadership of design experts were to be granted 25,000 USD to build a prototype.

A Roller Coaster Ride

Achieving the milestone of getting selected among the 6 finalists for the award was not easy for Miss Ajmal.

Honestly, I knew very little about industrial design before joining NUST. I explored a few fields and was unsure about which programme to pursue. Initially, I struggled with my grades a lot and at numerous occasions, I considered giving up. But gradually, I found my pace and began to settle. As time progressed and with thorough determination, I found myself constantly vested in various domains of my degree.

She not only overcame all the struggles but also took inspiration from her friend and neighbor. Her friend lost her eyesight after a devastating accident.

It was very difficult for her to come to terms with how she couldn’t pursue her studies anymore. Not to mention, special education and equipment such as braille in Pakistan are quite expensive.

Miss Ajmal wanted to empower not only her friend but millions like her, who could benefit from this design.

I wanted to make her feel valuable, and that inspired me to create a concept which would help generate employment opportunities for her and individuals liker her.

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Future Goals

Miss Ajmal has goals set in place for the future, and it sounds very promising in terms of Pakistani economy, as well as support for the impaired.

My aim is to create a functional prototype for the design week and attract individuals or companies who’d provide the necessary resources in making this a plausible phenomenon – which is easily accessible in the market… This could affect communities at large. Involvement at a general level may lead to increased awareness at a political level, spur financial support for the projects and help advancement.

Aqsa Ajmal has instigated a sense of responsibility among many future leaders of the country. Showing them that nothing is impossible. Her sewing machine for the visually impaired is a step towards a brighter future.