As I stand facing the future, stronger than ever I have created a me who is confident, self assured and in
control of my life. I'm about to speak to a group of students when a pair of eyes catch my attention.
My mind wanders back to the girl I used to be sitting quietly at the end of the classroom pretending not to
notice when my teacher's gaze lingered on me a little too long. “Why can’t you just understand?” she
would ask, her brow furrowed, throwing her hands up in frustration. Every word felt like nails on a
chalkboard. She confirmed what I feared: I was different, and not in a way anyone would value.
That’s where my story began. As a child, learning differences ensured I struggled to grasp what seemed
effortless for others; reading three grade levels behind my peers proved to be a burden for me in how I
thought about myself at such an impressionable age. I mastered the art of building walls, and these walls
were my sanctuary, a place of silent refuge.. I was blessed to have parents who were unrelenting in their
support of me. They moved me to The Shri Ram School. A nurturing environment of supportive teachers
helped me to make up the ground I had lost from falling so far behind.
Beyond the walls of my silent fortress, a different sound greeted me. Somewhat ironically, it was also
silence, but one that I chose. I took up spiritual practices, such as meditation and affirmations, learnt from
my mother. As I learned to sit still, I developed concentration, determination and patience. Beyond the
silence, music drifted into my fortress, taking my voice behind the mic liberated me. I studied with
wonderful teachers and as I wrote and composed my own songs, each chord empowered me to reclaim
my identity. I felt powerful for the first time and expressed myself with courage and empathy.
Along with the song, the written word entered, and books became my panacea. When I picked up a book
and started reading no one could get me out of that world because being immersed in a world full of
stories is where I felt truly complete and at peace. Silence, symphony and words synogised, giving me
new tools that would soon define my journey.
As I entered grade eleven my learning differences vanished; deep concentration, discipline, and
perseverance opened the doorway to achievement. I made the choice to enroll in the IB curriculum and
the academic success I found was a testament to my resilience, faith and tenacity. I developed a passion
for my HL English course and it quickly became another outlet for me to continue finding and expressing
my voice. Tasting success by believing in myself, I now needed to find ways to help others.
With the success of believing in myself, I needed to find ways to help others. That’s when Youth for
Youth was born. It wasn’t just a program. It was a call to empathy, a way for me to give back, to reach out
to others who, like me, were unable to realize themselves. I channeled all that helped me overcome my
adversity to create leadership and life skill content. I mentored students on how to manage stress, develop
confidence, build determination and self-belief, and trust in their own worth. As I gaze back into the eyes
that caught my attention; a reflection of my past self is looking at me; immense joy fills me as I cognise
that I have the tools to help her become the best version of herself and leave her past behind, like I did.
Today I am ready to keep moving forward. My journey, much like the music I create
and the leadership I nurture, is still unfolding. With each note played and each student reached, I know
that this is just the beginning.
