The foundation recently received the following update from Farooq Baloch, who took the MA course in financial journalism (MAFJ) this past academic year at City University of London. You can read more about the journalism courses that the foundation financially supports here.

I am excited to share with you that I have just signed a contract with Reorg Research. I will join them next month as a reporter. Having a good job in hand even before finishing my studies, I couldn’t ask for more. I cordially thank the Marjorie Deane Foundation for making this possible.

Coming from a third-world country whose currency is 250 times smaller than the GBP, I could never afford a place in this prestigious programme. But thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, I not only got into it, but also scored distinctions in some of my courses, because I could focus on my learning without worrying about my tuition and rents. In a nutshell, this award has made a big difference to where I stand now and how far I can go from here.

I was able to acquire new skills, expand my knowledge of the global economy and international financial markets, and build a network of contacts that will continue to pay dividends. 

I was able to apply some of my newly acquired skills to serve my YouTube audience through my reports on Pakistan’s economy and financial markets. The channel, which I started after joining this programme, now boasts more than 7,000 subscribers. 

The programme prepared me very well for the job market. For example, my recollection of lectures from Jane Fuller and Mike Dolan helped me answer, correctly, some of the toughest questions I faced during the job interview. The MAFJ programme’s solid reputation in the industry, coupled with its vast alumni network, proved to be a great help in getting employed – needless to say, the Foundation’s endorsement (the Marjorie Deane award) made it easier still.

It was unfortunate that we could not make it to either China or the US this year, but I am very happy that the Foundation made alternative arrangements to ensure our learning didn’t suffer. I was very impressed with the overall quality of speakers and learned a great deal from the insights they provided.

For me, the China symposium was one of the major highlights of the MAFJ programme as you may have noticed in my reflections on the event, published on your website, but I would like to thank you once again for making that happen.

As the programme comes to an end, I am very excited about my next career move. The exposure I will have at Reorg will broaden my understanding of the financial markets and prepare me to take up a demanding newsroom role anywhere in the world. 

Overall, the Marjorie Deane experience will go a long way in shaping my international career as a financial journalist, one who is better equipped to address the challenges facing us all in Pakistan and beyond – and I can’t thank you enough for that.