Shanzay Khan

Background

Shanzey Khan is a passionate mental health educator and trainee clinical psychologist who believes that “if kids are taken care of, the future is already a bit better.” She holds a BSc in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Psychology. With over seven years of teaching experience, she specializes in subjects like mental health, emotional awareness, and social-emotional learning alongside core academics.

Shanzey has worked in hospitals, clinics, research centers, and with various NGOs and NPOs as a trainee clinical psychologist. For the past five years, she has focused on children’s mental health, especially in underserved communities. Her work is rooted in compassion, evidence-based practice, and a deep commitment to helping children feel seen, understood, and supported.

Why I Joined

“I joined Daadras after years of working with children and seeing how often their emotions were dismissed or misunderstood. In our society, children are too often seen as “too much” or “too naïve,” and their struggles are brushed aside until they grow too big to ignore. Through my work in psychology, I’ve seen how deeply children suffer—diagnosed or not—while help is often sought far too late. I believe in prevention, not just cure. In teaching children rather than expecting them to just know. Daadras came into my life at the right time—a place where my professional expertise and passion could come together to help the world truly listen to its children.”

Role in the Organization

As the Director of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at Daadras, I oversee the development and implementation of SEL initiatives, including within the Salam project, which teaches SEL, IT, public speaking, and strategic gaming to children. I lead a team of volunteers, guiding the delivery of lessons and activities, and am responsible for designing the curriculum, developing related activities, and setting the program’s goals and objectives. In addition, I represent Salam publicly through interviews and outreach to raise awareness of our mission. Additionally, I direct the Big Brother program, which provides long-term professional and mental mentorship to children from Salam, with a focus on IT and personal development.