Young Achievers Column

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Ananya Singhal, a 12th grader studying at Delhi Public School, Gurgaon. She is?the founder and president of Voice of the Voiceless organization, Vice President of The Helping Hand NGO, Senior Director of the Event management committee at High School Moms, President- Student welfare and community service at her school, and a member of the top management at Biforst Ed Tech Pvt Ltd.

Tell us about your journey to becoming an ambitious leader

I started my journey in 2019 when I came across the term internships. I wasn't sure how internships would help me and what they consisted of. It was challenging at first but I soon developed an interest in this area. In this process of exploring new growth opportunities, I was introduced to many fields which I had never heard of before. After experiencing and exploring a lot, I discovered a positive change in my attitude and interacting with people made me feel confident. That is when I decided to continue to participate in internships and?events that complement my skills and enhance my knowledge. Soon, I started my own organisation which gave me a sense of belongingness and brought me contentment. Honestly, it is comforting to know that you have made a difference in someone's life and that gives me true pleasure. I truly believe that consistency and perseverance have helped me come a long way.

Tell us about your role in the Voice of Voiceless and as well as how the organization works

I am the Founder and president of a youth-led organisation called Voice of the Voiceless which works for the welfare of animals. I believe that everyone should do their part in helping society. My organisation completed its first year on 28th June 2022. We are a proud family of 1000+ students. We have 7 branches of Voice of the Voiceless in different cities in India. Voice of the voiceless is privileged to have prestigious mentors like Ms Maneka Sanjay Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre. We provide internships to young change-makers by providing them with an insightful experience of working closely with our prestigious sponsors and helping animals. We recently did a successful event where we collected funds for our stray feeding campaign along with a successful fundraiser for the treatment of 3 injured dogs. Stray feeding, donation drives, adoption campaigns, pet shows, fundraiser events and rescue drives are an integral part of our routine. We aim to help innocent beings in every way.

Share your experience working with IIT Delhi

While I was exploring new internship opportunities, I was offered an internship at IIT Delhi. I started working there as a marketing intern and then as a Campus Ambassador. It's always a pleasure to interact with such elite institutions. I enjoy working in a team environment, and I get along well with people. It was pretty interesting to connect with people who had more experience and have had the opportunity to work with professionals before. It really helped me learn a lot about the dynamics of not only our curriculums but also their practical application. I would describe my experience as immensely insightful. It felt good to be in a community of like-minded people.

?As a Student Leader, why do you think the voice of youth matters?

?In today's generation, every student has his/her own opinions and ideas. I think it is very important to recognise those differentiated opinions because allowing them to speak up is transformative in itself. The youth represent the future of this country, thus, encouraging them to ideate and innovate may lead to a better future. Having a voice gives an individual power, and a way to express his or her beliefs and motivate them will lead to a stronger ground for tomorrow. The youth today are the change-makers of tomorrow and it is crucial to appreciate them and decode their ideas into reality. You might be a role model to someone who looks up to you, it is because you had the creativity to think of a unique idea and the courage to execute it. We all learn from each other, that’s how the system works. The young minds know how to utilize resources effectively, they know how to put an end to detrimental human actions and they are ready to pose solutions for the same. This makes them powerful and strong-headed. This is the real reason for us to invest in the youth today.

You got the biggest opportunity to work with several NGOs which shows your interest in them. How do you think people could contribute to NGOs?

There are several ways in which a person can contribute to NGOs. The first and most important is, to do your part. It's imperative to realize the harm one is doing to society and the environment, controlling detrimental actions can be a big help. People can also donate money in order to fund the basic needs of any NGO or they can volunteer in events and programs to help bring change.

Talk about Time management

Time management and discipline go hand in hand. Personally, making a schedule has helped me a lot. It is important to prioritize your responsibilities and then work with motivation and discipline to achieve the end goal. As per my observations, a planned execution is much more convenient and manageable than an unplanned one which is taxing. Utilising time effectively also helps me to devote my time to exploring better growth opportunities. I have realised that it is important to prioritise work according to the deadlines so that I don't miss out on anything. The next step is to establish a routine and strive hard to follow it. One should understand that making a schedule is easy but putting it into practice is difficult. Hence, blocking all distractions and working with discipline are very important in order to achieve the end goal.

One thing you would like to change in this society

I would like to change the negative attitude of people towards the upliftment of society. Many people are not bothered by the increasing number of cases of barbarity toward humans and animals. It is important for them to realise that every change matters. The essence of kindness and awareness needs to be reiterated. Embracing change is being courageous and that is what is required from the people. Most people find change as an uneasy process but with flexibility and awareness, a lot can be achieved. One’s behavior is directly influenced by the mindset that he/she adopts. The idea of social awareness needs to be revived amongst the people so that they realise the repercussions of their actions. I truly believe that if people understand the importance of being kind, the world will be a better place.