Mahishka, 16, Sri Lanka

Basic need(s):

Education

Project:

"Learn and Lead"

The main objective of Mahishka’s "Learn and Lead" project is to encourage the attitudinal change and personality development of children coming from conflict and poverty-stricken districts of Sri Lanka in order to produce a community of youth leaders. The program carries out this objective by bringing in scholars from impoverished communities to attend three of the top private schools in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Mahishka also conducts a child-mentoring program, which utilizes prominent experts in leadership to train high school students in child and youth empowerment. The training focuses on modern values of democracy and peaceful coexistence, and emphasizes the importance of being change agents in one’s community. Mahishka hopes to broaden “Learn and Lead” to include additional students and communities, and is also working towards sharpening her own skills in empowerment processes to focus on how to best work to empathize with those with special needs.

Photo: Benjamin Quinto