India
Hailing from a small village in Odisha, Debyasini has long believed education is the key to transforming her community. At home, she motivates children to dream big—becoming astronauts, coders, or leaders—and teaches them to avoid plastic and plant trees. On the journey, she carried that same energy, describing with wonder her first visits to historic sites and her joy in meeting peers who shared her passion for nature. Her awareness of how heatwaves, cyclones, and droughts affect farmers in her community deepened as she explored India’s cities. Through art, photography, and writing, she turned her reflections into creative stories, weaving her personal identity as a Dalit girl determined to challenge prejudice with her broader dream of building an NGO for education.