One local teen has received an ultimate accolade for her work in helping vulnerable children and inspiring her peers worldwide to create a better world for children.
Pennsbury High School student Neha Gupta won the KidsRights Foundation’s International Children’s Peace Prize on November 18. Gupta’s own organization, Empower Orphans, has collected over $1.3 million and helped over 25,000 children.
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According to a recent press release, during Gupta’s annual visits to an orphanage in India, Gupta realized the children there did not have the same opportunities in life as she did. In order to help these children, Gupta set up her own foundation at the age of nine. Gupta beat out over 40 other nominations from 25 different countries to win the award.
“Neha discovered at a young age that it is possible to take action as a child and help vulnerable children. Not only is she a changemaker herself, but she also inspires children all over the world to take action,” said Founder of KidsRights Marc Dullaert.
Gupta’s efforts towards basic education and healthcare are geared towards not only helping children in India, but here at home.
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The tenth anniversary of the International Children’s Peace Prize was celebrated in The Hague in the presence of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2014 Kailash Satyarthi and Children’s Peace Prize winners from previous years.
In addition to Gupta, two other children were nominated for the award including 17-year-old Alexey, who fights against the oppression of homosexual and transgender youth in Russia and Andrew, 13, who takes action to support starving children in Ghana.
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“My message to the world is to convert empathy into action and to make a difference in people’s lives,” Gupta said.
Gupta will receive a study grant and a worldwide platforms for allowing her peers to follow in her footsteps.
