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American Morning

Single Mom Named Mother of the Year

Aired April 24, 2001 - 11:20   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A single mother from Philadelphia with quite a story to tell is this year's working mother of the year. The award was presented to Safia Khalil by "Working Mother" magazine. Khalil was born in Pakistan where her marriage was arranged and, after moving to the United States, her marriage ended, and she pursued a higher education, something unthinkable for a woman of her background.

Now Khalil has a Ph.D., and she's continuing her education. At the same time, she's an accomplished scientist, and she's raising a daughter.

Safia Khalil joins us now from New York to tell us more about her remarkable accomplishments.

Good morning, Safia. Great to see you.

SAFIA KHALIL, NATIONAL AWARD WINNER: Good morning. Thanks very much for having me.

PHILLIPS: Well, culturally, obviously, you've been going through a struggle. How have you found strength keeping a hold of your culture, but, at the same time, being realistic about what you've needed to do for yourself and your daughter?

KHALIL: Well, the strength came from becoming the mother. I think becoming the mother was the most empowering experience that I have ever had. That provided me the strength.

And, of course, my commitment to education -- and my mother has inculcated that love of learning in me, and I just stayed focused, and my love of my daughter and love of edu -- commitment to education and just support of friends have helped me go through what hardship I went through.

But I'm -- I'm really proud of the fact that where I am. I am working at one of the largest pharmaceutical company doing cancer research, and I have a wonderful child whom I'm very, very proud of. So, indeed, I was able to do this because I had support.

PHILLIPS: Well, Safia, I'm sure you've found in our country a lot of women sort of use being a single mother as an excuse not to be able to accomplish things in life. What would you say to those moms?

KHALIL: Well, what I would say is that being a single mother is not an easy task. It requires patience, practice, and perseverance, and that's what I would advise. And one most importance message is to surround themselves with positive and supportive people. That is what helped me the most.

PHILLIPS: And now you're wanting to give back to other women in Pakistan. Tell me about this project that you're working on.

KHALIL: Well, this project called Elit (ph). We are -- it is designed to provide tools for economic independence to women in Pakistan as well as in Philadelphia. We are setting up computer- training centers for women to teach basic computer skills, and we are asking individuals and American corporations to make financial donations as well as donations of computer equipment and volunteer time to teach at these centers.

PHILLIPS: So what do you tell your 11-year-old daughter about your culture?

KHALIL: Well, I tell her that my culture is an interesting culture. It's wonderful. It has taught me the respect for elders. It has taught me caring, and I -- but it's -- it's -- it has its limitations, and I certainly want her to not survive those limitations. I would like -- sorry. I would say I want her to survive the limitations, and I want her to feel that being a female is something to be proud of.

PHILLIPS: And if she -- has she talked to you about what she wants to do?

KHALIL: Yes. She has actually told me that she wants to be a singer, a movie star, a doctor, and a first women president of United States.

PHILLIPS: You know what? You have an amazing example, and I can see why she's so motivated with a mom like you.

Safia Khalil, thank you so much for joining us. Congratulations on being named such a super mom, working mother of the year, with "Working Mother" magazine.

KHALIL: Thank you so much.

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