Diana Awardee Aditi Gera rose above toxicity to find sisterhood through Empowerette
Written by: Amrita Priya
(April 15, 2022) “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me..,” said legendary American animator, Walt Disney, on the many challenges he overcame on his journey to success. For the 21-year-old Aditi Gera, early life wasn’t uncomplicated either. The founder of Empowerette, Aditi recalls dealing with her share of hardships in school. “We were all girls but there was a lack of support and immense toxicity, with people competing with each other,” says she in a conversation with Global Indian. Her initiative to bridge gaps in accessibility and opportunity for young, marginalised girls led her to win Diana Award in 2020. She has also been recognised as Ashoka Young Changemaker, and has been conferred Lead Like a Girl fellowship from Shenomics.
Aditi Gera, founder, Empowerette
Rising above adversity
“There was an air of negativity and the absence of empathy, not just among students but from the teachers as well,” says the young changemaker. With Empowerette, she wants to establish a sense of sisterhood that she found sorely lacking. “Women should lift each other up, instead of pulling one another down,” says she.
Aditi saw many women being forced to compromise on their ambitions and passions while remaining within the patriarchal and hierarchical societal structure that reigns in India. “My grandmother had roots in Pakistan. She came from an economically backward family with many siblings. She was married off at 12 and my grandfather was almost thrice her age,” she mentions.
It was deeply disturbing when the youngster came to know about it. In contrast, at age 12, Aditi was playing state-level basketball. “It changed my perspective on how women are positioned in our society,” she says.
The young changemaker describes her mother as a “highly intelligent, ambitious and smart woman. I have always looked up to her.” She compromised on a career in the field of medicine in order to stay home and raise the kids. “To her, it seemed like a natural transition but I feel she could have done a lot more in her life.”
Building a sisterhood
“A few years ago, I saw niece of my househelp being married off to a person who was nearly double her age. Clearly, things haven’t changed much since my grandmother’s time. It compelled me to start Empowerette,” says the changemaker.
She and her team execute a one-on-one mentorship program enabling young girls in government schools to build their own identities and perceive themselves as leaders. “The programme is designed on a cohort-based model where we focus on developing leadership, confidence, communication and other career skill sets while paying attention to every individual’s emotional well-being,” Aditi explains.
After graduating as a finance major, Aditi has been working as a senior associate at Razorpay since the last four months. While enjoying the exposure at her maiden job, she devotes her weekends to Empowerette.
The empowerment journey
Aditi began Empowerette with four friends who were aligned with its vision. To carry forward the activities, they identified a government girls’ school in their town, Ujjain. The pupils of this school are from rural areas and stay at the school hostel. However, convincing school authorities to believe in a bunch of nineteen-year-olds who wanted to add value to their students was an uphill task. The hostel warden, however, stepped up and made an effort to understand the intent behind their initiative. She also got the school management to agree to the proposal.
Today, Empowerette has grown to a team of seven, with plans to bring a couple of paid interns on board as well. All seven members have supported the cause as volunteers.
Mentoring young students
Empowerette is associated with two campuses catering to 120 girls in all. Around three hours every weekend are devoted to working with them. The process involves personality development with a focus on their leadership skills, improving communication skills and encouraging their curiosity and ability to dream.
The girls are taught societal norms and values to give them an informed vision so that they can contribute to society. They are also taught subjects like politics, healthcare, economic development and made aware of issues like climate change, and women’s rights. “The girls themselves asked if they could be taught English, so we made that part of the Empowerette curriculum as well,” Aditi says.
Motivation is key
“The idea is to maintain an engagement with these girls for as long as possible because changing a mindset takes time and cannot happen in a matter of weeks or even months,” Aditi maintains. The team did not compromise on communication with the girls even during the pandemic. They conducted regular sessions over the phone to keep track of their growth and emotional well-being.
“Since the Empowerette team works voluntarily, keeping their excitement alive is paramount. The curiosity of the mentees also needs to be constantly stoked. Learning and developing new qualities is never easy considering the fact that the girls have been born into hardship. It’s not a cakewalk to make them believe that the world is waiting for them,” Aditi says, “If only they are able to present themselves to it.”
On the personal front
Aditi wants to take up both business as well as social entrepreneurship in future. Her father, a businessman, is fully supportive of his daughter’s dreams. The young changemaker also sees herself advocating for women’s rights in the future and draws huge inspiration from women who have made a difference. “I really admire women in politics and those who have fought for the rights we now enjoy. One such person is Savitribai Phule. Girls in India are able to access basic education because she fought for these rights,” says the youngster.
Aditi with her mother
Aditi is an avid reader with a special inclination toward poetry by Tony Morrison, Mary Oliver, and the likes. With formal training in guitar and keyboard, she uses the instruments as a medium of rejuvenation. Though basketball has been her passion, a sudden interest in tennis is keeping her on toes, literally. In active support of a more equal world, Aditi is keen to take Empowerette to great heights by widening its reach.
(October 6, 2022) Ten days ago, a post by writer Amitav Ghosh, who is quite the foodie, appeared on my Instagram feed. It was a glowing recommendation, along with a photograph, of a young chef, with Ghosh writing, "Great spread of pre-wedding Malayali food by Sarah Thomas and Hunter Jamison... If you are in the NYC area and longing for some spicy Malayali food." One assumes this would be the work of a veteran chef, Ghosh is, after all, one of the most celebrated names in the literary world. It was, however, a very youthful young woman who appeared on screen for the interview with Global Indian. "I'm 23 years old," Chef Sarah Thomas says. "I began my catering business in January 2021." Today, the young Global Indian works 20 hours on some days, making up to 50 dishes at a time. Growing up in New Jersey, where her parents moved from Kerala, Sarah's diet always comprised of home-cooked Malayali staples. "My mom would wake up at 5 am to cook for the whole family every day. It would make me angry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon
ry then because it was distracting, I couldn't study and my clothes would smell. I never liked it." Soon after college, however, when she moved away from home, she found herself craving her mother's cooking and simply couldn't find a suitable substitute. "What is available is either fusion or very high-end. The simple, traditional dishes were impossible to find. I simply wasn't tasting what I was getting at home," she says. Sarah decided to try her hand at it, setting up 'Sugar Dosa' on Shef, an online platform for people to order authentic, homemade meals made by local, certified chefs from around the world.
Straddling two worlds
Although her parents remained more or less rooted in their native culture, Sarah felt quite separated from it. "I'm only Malayali ethnically, I tell people that too. I don't speak the language as well as I should." She was a serious teen, studying medicine as so many Indian kids in the US do. Sarah realised soon enough that it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life and decided she would much rather teach yoga. "After I studied and did all my exams, I realised what I was doing didn't feel authentic to me. My parents worked hard to bring me here and the idea behind doing so was to see a different way of life - that's part of being American too." So, she turned to her decade-long association with yoga. "My father is a yoga teacher, he had studied at the Sivananda Institute. I learned from him when I was young and we would also teach together," she says.
In college, much to the alarm of her traditional parents, she chose a course in acting and creative writing. After that, she moved to NYC, signing up as a teacher with a yoga studio and working on writing short stories as well, in which she talked about life as an Indian growing up in America. "I found I didn't like the Western style of yoga, though. Here, the fear of cultural appropriation is a big deal, and yoga is seen as just a workout. Writing is also extremely competitive." Her three-year stint at the yoga studio ended unpleasantly when it became involved in a tax that "ruined the perception of yoga."
In 2020, when she created a platform for Malayali food on Shef, there was huge interest almost immediately. "I was the only one there making appams and egg curry," she smiles. She makes the batter by hand, substituting toddy, which she simply cannot get in the US, with yeast. "It works just as well," she says. The spice mixes are also hand-ground and she travels to New Jersey, which is home to a large Indian diaspora and major department stores that specialise in Indian ingredients, to buy what she needs. The Malabar Chicken Curry, appam and egg curry, and the famous Kerala beef fry (for private customers) are all in high demand.
Amitav Ghosh was among those who found her online. He ordered once and then again, after which he messaged Sarah, asking her if she would be willing to cater an event. "I didn't know it was the day of his son's wedding, he told me it was for a wedding party. I ended up catering this big meal for them right before they got married. It was also my first huge party." As she found her feet - Sarah is now expanding into a professional kitchen - she found, through yoga, writing, and cooking, a way to "tell my story without having to do anything out of the way. When I catered Mr. Ghosh's event, people already knew what I did and where I came from."
Sarah now plans to set up her own 'Malayali cafe' in the Lower East End, with doubles as a yoga studio. "That way, I can do both. To me, cooking is a form of yoga too. Here, yoga is a physical activity and is rarely paired with mindful practice, meditation, or the correct ways of eating," she says. Having studied meditation from former experts who learned from Osho back in the 1970s, Sarah's method of teaching yoga is to prepare the body for meditation.
"All of it is coming together for me," she says, as she concludes. "There are more South Indians here than ever before and I'm more emboldened now to share what I do and put a plate in front of someone. A lot of people come from India to New York and tell me they haven't eaten this kind of Malayali food for years. I'm happy doing this, instead of taking a more traditional path."
(February 2, 2024) Preeti Panigrahi knew her goal in life ever since she was a student at Amity International School in Noida. She wanted to be an actress. Nobody in her family had a film background but Preeti would go on to find international acclaim in her very first film. Preeti Panigrahi recently won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for acting at the Sundance Film Festival 2024, held in the United States. Preeti’s debut film ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ is an Indo-French co-production. It was one of the 16 films from across the world that was selected for the World Cinema Dramatic Competition of the festival. [caption id="attachment_35571" align="aligncenter" width="529"] Preeti Panigrahi[/caption] Playing the lead in her debut ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ was screened at Park City, Utah in the United States. While sharing the news of the movie’s premiere, the elated debutant actor had shared on social media, “Girls Will be Girls is premiering at Sundance 2024 in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. What does one even write in moments like these. It is so humbling that I am filled with immense gratitude for everyone involved in making this dream come true!” Written and directed by Shuchi
‘Girls Will Be Girls’ was screened at Park City, Utah in the United States. While sharing the news of the movie’s premiere, the elated debutant actor had shared on social media, “Girls Will be Girls is premiering at Sundance 2024 in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. What does one even write in moments like these. It is so humbling that I am filled with immense gratitude for everyone involved in making this dream come true!”
Written and directed by Shuchi Talati, the movie, based in a small Himalayan hill town in northern India is about the rebellious awakening of a 16-year-old girl played by Preeti. Kani Kusruti and Kesav Binoy Kiron have portrayed the roles of other lead characters in the movie. The high-school drama is an Indo-French official co-production, a collaboration between Pushing Buttons Studios, Crawling Angel Films, Blink Digital, and Dolce Vita Films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJqnhaBZtfs
Unfortunately, Preeti was not there to collect the award in person when the award was announced at the Sundance Festival. It was received on her behalf by the director of the movie. Later sharing that moment’s video, the actor remarked, “Here's a golden moment in my life, where I was far away tucked in bed, probably dreaming about something like this to come true.”
Multi-talented always
Preeti had always been an exceptional student, topping the class despite not studying very hard. She was an all-rounder and had even been the head girl of her school. Right from her high school she was known for being an actor, dancer, artist, singer, photographer, graphic designer, an orator with interest in social service. The youngster also displayed interest in filmmaking at that tender age. She became a member of the Bal Bhawan at NTPC Township, Noida. Owing to her creative performances, in 2015, Preeti Panigrahi received ‘The National Balshree Honour,’ a recognition by the HRD ministry of India. That year she was the only child to receive the honour in the age group of nine-11.
The award was presented by union minister of HRD Smriti Zubin Irani at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The honour comprised a plaque of appreciation, citation and Kisan Vikas Patra worth rupees ten thousand. Following this, her school felicitated Preeti with the Lt. Baljit Shashtri Award for being an all-rounder.
[caption id="attachment_35572" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Preeti Panigrahi with Smriti Irani while receiving The National Balshree Honour[/caption]
After passing out from school with flying colours, scoring 98 percent in her 12th board exam, Preeti went on to pursue bachelors in history from Hindu College, University of Delhi.
Acting and filmmaking – a natural progression
Preeti's love for the performing arts and theatre only grew stronger and she became associated with Ibtida, the dramatics society in her college, founded by acclaimed director Imtiaz Ali. During that time, she had got an opportunity to attend a workshop organized by FTII on film appreciation, which brought her closer to her passion. She made around 10 short films that she uploaded on her YouTube channel. “My love for film-making, theatre, travelling, singing, dancing and sketching has kept me going,” she had remarked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIFo3lSUOh0
With opportunities to be a part of productions by NSD pass-outs and Asmita Theatre Group, Preeti kept on polishing her acting skills, and bagged several best actor awards in theatre. After passing out of college in 2022, the youngster pursued a PG diploma in animation and cinema from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute.
Finding the break
When actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal announced the launch of their production house Pushing Buttons Studios, they chose ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ as their first production and found French as well as other Indian producers to co-produce the project.
Preeti, who had started turning heads in theatre circles, was selected as a lead in the mother-daughter story that explored female sexuality, and went on to earn critical acclaim. The jury at the Sundance Festival was impressed with Preeti, who portrayed a frank, sweet, and vulnerable teenager to perfection.
[caption id="attachment_35573" align="aligncenter" width="649"] 'Girls Will Be Girls' team[/caption]
Since 1985 Sundance Film Festival, an initiative of the nonprofit Sundance Institute brings together original storytellers and audiences seeking fresh perspectives and new voices. Getting recognised at such a platform has led artists and filmmakers to earn global acclaim. Preeti Panigrahi’s journey on the silver screen has just begun and in what way!
(October 1, 2022) On September 29, 2022, Garuda Aerospace received its DGCA approval as a remote pilot training organisation. It will enable the startup to train some 1 lakh drone pilots across 755 districts, a target it aims to meet by the end of 2025. It's a huge leap forward, both in terms of technology and regulation. Founded by serial social entrepreneur and Global Indian Agnishwar Jayaprakash (Agni Foundation), who went from swimming to champ to entrepreneurship and studying in Harvard Business School, the startup received funding from MS Dhoni in June 2022. Back in 2014, Francesco's Pizzerias in Mumbai created quite the stir when it used an unmanned drone to deliver pizzas. Unfortunately, it also ruffled the feathers of the Mumbai police, who called it a security risk. The Indian government has been quick to catch on to the many uses of drones, from defense surveillance to mapping rural landholdings. The forest department also uses them to keep an eye out of poachers. By 2030, India's drone industry is all set to hit a market-size of $23 billion and capture 25 percent of the global drone market, according to journalist Shereen Bhan on Young Turks. With the government going
s them to keep an eye out of poachers. By 2030, India's drone industry is all set to hit a market-size of $23 billion and capture 25 percent of the global drone market, according to journalist Shereen Bhan on Young Turks.
With the government going full throttle on easing regulations, Garuda Aerospace, founded by serial social entrepreneur Agni Jayaprakash is the 31st RPTO to get the government nod since the regulations were eased on August 26 this year. Two months earlier, it burst into the limelight when cricketer M.S. Dhoni invested an undisclosed sum in the startup and became its brand investor. "I'm happy to be a part of Garuda Aerospace and look forward to witness their growth story," Dhoni said at the time.
As for the young entrepreneur himself, he was over the moon about it. Growing up, Agnishwar was an award-winning swimmer, his eyes set on the Olympics. At 14, he became the youngest Indian to represent his country at the World Championships in Indianapolis in 2004. At 22, he brought home medals in six categories at the world Short Swimming Course Championship in Istanbul, becoming the youngest Indian to achieve the feat. By this time, he had stepped fully into his entrepreneurship role.
Inspired by former president APJ Abdul Kalam, Agnishwar founded Ignite-India, a nationwide platform to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in schools and colleges. The platform reached out to over 7000 schools and was recognised by the United Nations. "I started swimming at the age of three and it became a passion because I was getting really good at it," he said, in an interview at Harvard Business School. "It was good, it let me travel the world, have many new experiences and meet new people. But it was very individualistic. All I thought about was what I could do for myself. Now, as an entrepreneur, the work I do impacts thousands of young people in India and South East Asia. It's been a very satisfying transition."
In 2019, he became Vice Chairman at Agni College of Technology in Chennai. "I wanted to leave a mark on the education system," he told Guindy Times in 2020. "Our system has become rudimentary because our kids are just expected to reproduce content after absorbing it in class. We test our kids only on one aspect of intelligence. You score good marks but you're not really learning." Agnishwar stepped in with the intention to bring innovative and entrepreneurial learning into the education system. Their acceleration programme funds startups and works with the government to inspire children and students as well.
Seven years after its founding, Garuda Aerospace has "scaled to a 200-member team having the largest drone fleet in India with over 300 drones and 500 pilots operating in 26 cities," Agnishwar said, in an interview with Industrial Automation India. "We have also expanded to Malaysia, Africa and South America." The team aims to spearhead what Agnishwar calls a "Drone Revolution" with a "vision of manufacturing 1 lakh Made in India drones and cement the market dominance on 2 major multi-billion-dollar segments - Precision Agri Tech and Industry 4.0."
Currently, Garuda Aerospace manufactures around 30 different kinds of drones and offers over 50 types of services across a range of industries. This includes warehouse management and delivery for Flipkart, seed dropping, project monitoring and drone delivery of medicines for hospitals. They are also working with Swiggy which is looking to expand to drone delivery in Bengaluru and Delhi.
Back in 2017, his interviewer at Harvard Business School asked Agnishwar his views on failure. "It's a cliche but it is a stepping stone," he said at once. "I learned that as a swimmer. I wanted to be in the Olympics, but I couldn't make it. With entrepreneurship, it's always a hit-and-miss. I tell young entrepreneurs not to lose motivation and to remember that ideas can only be sustained with the right modules and strategy. All we see in the media are the success stories but never the failures from which we can truly learn."
(July 23, 2023) When the wheels of the world came to a screeching halt in 2020, people saw themselves adapt to changes that the pandemic brought with itself. Amid the uncertainty and fear, a family in Bengaluru found that their 9-year-old son Surya has Type 1 diabetes. The news left his 12-year-old sister Divaa Uthkarsha shell shocked. "I had no idea what Type 1 diabetes was. My first reaction was he is just a child, how can he get Type 1 diabetes? I was shocked at my brother's diagnosis and my lack of awareness on the chronic condition," Divaa tells Global Indian. It was this knowledge deficit that prompted her to start Project Surya in 2021 to help create awareness and provide assistance to underprivileged children living with Type 1 diabetes. The initiative won her the Diana Award 2023. "It was a moment of pride because I have been putting my heart and soul into Project Surya. It is an inspiration and motivation to work harder and help more people and save more lives," adds the 15-year-old. [caption id="attachment_32064" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Divaa Uthkarsha is the founder of Project Surya[/caption] When life turned upside down In 2020, Divaa's life took a
wp-image-32064" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_1465.jpg" alt="Divaa Uthkarsha | Global Indian " width="726" height="662" /> Divaa Uthkarsha is the founder of Project Surya[/caption]
When life turned upside down
In 2020, Divaa's life took a significant turn when her younger brother was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a condition where the body stops producing insulin. Fortunately, their doctor parents provided valuable support, guiding her to comprehend the complexities of the illness. The family as a collective took time to adjust to the new reality. "Eventually within a few months, he became independent and could manage himself," adds the teenager who accompanied her brother on all doctor visits. "I would ask them all sorts of questions and read the manuals and diet chart in detail to understand the subject. Previously, I thought diabetes only affected adults." Together, the family embarked on a journey of lifestyle changes, altering their diets and habits to accommodate Surya's needs. "It isn't just a lifestyle change but also takes a toll on mental health."
Having witnessed the challenges firsthand, Divaa gained a profound insight into the resources required and the considerable expenses associated with managing Type 1 diabetes. less privileged children lacking access to essential resources, knowledge, and proper healthcare facilities. This prompted her to contemplate the plight of the less privileged kids lacking access to essential resources, knowledge, and proper healthcare facilities. Motivated by her experiences, she founded Project Surya in June 2021, aiming to improve the quality of life for underprivileged Type 1 diabetic children residing in Karnataka.
The beginning of Project Surya
Upon joining the Future Leaders Program by 1M1B, which aims to cultivate one million young leaders impacting one billion people, Divaa embarked on her journey of conceptualising Project Surya. "After identifying our problem statement and target audience, we started working on our plan of action. We came up with solutions that were very effective, sustainable, and impacted Type 1 diabetic children in a significant way," adds the National Public School student.
Her journey in developing Project Surya involved a meticulous process of gathering insights through 30 interviews with key stakeholders, such as doctors, dieticians, and Type 1 diabetic children, alongside conducting over 500 surveys involving teenagers and ASHA workers. "It was through Samatvam Endocrinology For Science and Welfare Trust that we conducted online sessions, awareness workshops, Q & A sessions, and interactive counselling sessions with the help of an endocrinologist and raised awareness about Type 1 diabetes in a concise and scientific manner, covering essential aspects such as dietary considerations, the importance of exercise, and adjustments to insulin dosage when eating outside." Divaa discovered that many teenagers and ASHA workers lacked awareness and had misconceptions, often confusing Type 1 diabetes with general diabetes affecting older individuals." However, the sessions conducted by Project Surya helped dispel myths and equip them with the knowledge to manage diabetes effectively."
Crowdfunding and Samatvam - the helplines
Project Surya has adopted crowdfunding as its approach, successfully raising ₹1,50,000 till now. "Additionally, we are receiving $5000 from a corporate based in the US. We are also in talks with corporates for grants and CSR funding," reveals the teenager. The initiative aims to support underprivileged children with Type 1 diabetes by donating both funds and insulin syringes to Samatvam, who then distributes them.
Despite government healthcare facilities not providing free insulin, Divaa, and her team stepped in to offer low-cost insulins to these children through Samatavam. Their goal is to raise more funds to provide insulin pens, a less painful alternative to syringes, further enhancing the quality of life for these young patients.
Despite being passionate about Project Surya, many questioned her credibility initially owing to her age. "The major stakeholders that I pitched my project to initially didn't believe me. As I was only 13, many thought that this was some school project that I would get over within a few weeks. But I had to convince them how passionate I am about the cause." Fundraising, too, posed difficulties as the appreciation for the project did not always translate into donations. "Initially not many people showed up at fundraising events but then we were successful when almost 8000 people were in attendance. Right now, we are looking at accelerating the funding of the project."
Throughout the two-year journey of Project Surya, Divaa has experienced both successes and setbacks, but she has come to realise the impact that even a small step can have on someone's life. A passionate individual who enjoys playing basketball and engaging in debates, she firmly believes in seizing every opportunity that comes her way.
The impact
With the vision of making a significant impact, Project Surya took a deliberate approach, focusing on one-on-one interactions and targeting a smaller support group of 100 diabetic families over the last two years. "Directly, we have impacted 150 children and indirectly, we have impacted so many people as these children educated other children and families, thus creating a ripple effect," adds Divaa. To raise awareness about Type 1 diabetes among the masses, the initiative organized rallies, school sessions, and engaged with ASHA workers. The result was far-reaching, impacting over 2000 students through sessions held in seven schools, and creating a Domino effect of awareness as volunteers initiated drives in their schools and ASHA workers spread the word in their community. Passionate about the cause, Divaa has actively advocated for insulin tax bans and the inclusion of Type 1 diabetes in the Disabilities Act, furthering her commitment to creating a positive change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faokCq8SsMM&t=2s
Looking towards greater sustainability, Divaa envisions implementing an "adopt a child" plan as a funding option for Project Surya, where individuals can commit to supporting a child's insulin needs for a specified period, ranging from 5 to 10 years or until the child reaches adulthood. Alongside, she plans to secure additional funds from corporates and continue fundraising efforts. "We want to provide insulin pens and more effective diabetes management resources to these kids because the resources they currently have are limited and painful."
With 95,600 cases of Type 1 diabetes affecting children under 14 years of age in India, Project Surya is determined to make a positive impact on these young lives. "From creating awareness where people under what Type 1 diabetes is, its symptoms, and the lifestyle changes they can make to keep it under check, we also focus on the mental health aspect where we talk about the stigma surrounding diabetes. The right approach and information can go a long way. And that's what we are doing," she signs off.
(July 23, 2024) "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation of all:" ‘Number 6’ on the United Nations' list of Sustainable Development Goals deals with one of the world's most pressing problems. In 2017, a whopping 2.2 billion people (around a quarter of the world's population) lacked access to safely managed drinking water. Access to safely managed sanitation is even more dismal - over 4.2 billion people lack the most basic facilities. As the pandemic hit, it brought to the fore the fact that some 3 billion people lack basic hand-washing facilities at home. It is a matter that will, if it is left uncontrolled, go on to determine the fate of the human race. And one that Shreya Ramachandran, winner of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes and the Google Science Fair Prize and now a student at Stanford University, has attempted to tackle with a simple, low-tech, and cost-effective solution: recycled grey water and the use of soap nuts. The relatively clean wastewater generated in houses or office buildings (usually from sinks, showers, baths, dishwashers, and washing machines, not anything that has come in contact with faecal waste) is referred to as grey water. Born
tanford University, has attempted to tackle with a simple, low-tech, and cost-effective solution: recycled grey water and the use of soap nuts. The relatively clean wastewater generated in houses or office buildings (usually from sinks, showers, baths, dishwashers, and washing machines, not anything that has come in contact with faecal waste) is referred to as grey water. Born and raised in California, Shreya founded The Grey Water Project to address the issue and propagate grey water as a viable solution. The organisation, which has been accredited by the United Nations Environmental Program, spreads awareness on grey water as a concept, the benefits of recycling it and propagating the use of soap nuts or soap berries as an alternative to chemical soaps and shampoos. Global Indian takes a look at her story.
Devastated by drought
In 2014, the pre-teen witnessed first-hand the water crisis in California, during a visit to Tulare County. Spanning an area of 12,530 km, Tulare County is mainly farmland and was home to the now-mostly dry Tulare Lake, once the largest freshwater lake west of the Great Lakes.
At the time, California was at the peak of a severe drought and stringent water-saving measures were put in place. "It wasn't affecting me personally. I was also quite young. So I wasn't aware of the extent to which things had progressed," Shreya told the Smithsonian Magazine in 2021. When she arrived in Tulare for an archery competition, she understood the severity of the situation. Wells had run dry and people brought in water trucks even for basic needs like drinking and bathing.
A global problem
"I just didn’t consider that this is something that could happen in the United States - something that could happen so close to my home." Every year, she would take a trip home, travelling through South India, where farming communities had abandoned their ancestral homes after the monsoons failed year after year.
Shreya began to understand then that water scarcity wasn't limited to the third world. It was a global problem, one with life-or-death implications for every living creature on the planet. During her visits to India, she would turn on the water to find murky liquid ooze through the taps, or to have her shower run dry without warning. If she mentioned the problem, she was handed a bucket and told to stand in line for the water tanker at the break of dawn. This was a normal life. Back home in the Bay Area, even though there was clean drinking water coming through the taps, people were advised not to shower for longer than five minutes and to ensure their faucets were turned off as they brushed their teeth.
Grey water – and soap nuts
As she did everything, she could to minimize her use of water, she learned about grey water. Using grey water recycling systems, she found, can reduce household water usage by about 50 percent. It can be reused for a variety of non-potable uses, including landscape irrigation and flush toilets (the Indian Institute of Science uses only recycled water, through a system installed on campus for non-potable uses). These non-potable uses make up about 60 percent of a household's requirements.
Again, answers found Shreya from India, this time when her grandmother came to visit. "She came bearing soapnuts - a berry shell that releases soap in water - to wash my hair," she told Smithsonian Mag. "What started as a curious experiment turned into a five-year-long process of discovery and investigation to make sure that grey water reuse, especially from soapnuts, is safe, effective and will not negatively affect environmental health."
Spreading awareness
It seems like the ideal solution, right? It could be, but then why are grey water recycling systems so rare? And why are so many people unfamiliar with the concept? Shreya knew as she did her research, that her first challenge would be tackling awareness. The systems are also expensive and besides, and the fact that storing contaminated water is difficult, unpleasant, and unhygienic puts off many people.
She wasn't averse to dealing with challenges. Through her organisation, The Grey Water Project promotes the safe re-use of grey water and water conservation. After extensive research, she found that the main pollutants in grey water are soluble salts and borax. She was, however, surprised to find how many people had never even heard of grey water, despite it having been widely touted in the media over the last few years.
The organisation conducts workshops at schools, libraries, and community and corporate events to demystify the use of grey water. Its UN accreditation also been accredited allows Shreya and her team to contribute to UN Policy inputs. In 2018, her efforts landed her the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. She was a Top 20 Global Finalist at the Google Science Fair and is a National Geographic Young Explorer. She is also the winner of the SBI's Twenty Under Twenty and the Children's Climate Prize. The exceptional teen also received the President's Volunteer Service Award Gold for two consecutive years, in 2020 and 2021.