Siya Tayal, a resident of RP-2, is gaining popularity for her ‘Project I Am Enough’ on body shaming. The 17-year-old was the youngest speaker at the United Nations, Geneva, and recently won the She Slays award by Hindustan Times, awarded in recognition of an exceptional act of service to others.
At the age of 17, when most teenagers are still just waiting to break free from the protected life of the school to the freedom of college life, Siya Tayal is already the founder of two social initiatives.
Siya Tayal was all of 8 years old when she launched her own sustainable business Bee Nifty, under which runs a My Own Bag initiative that provides employment, reduces waste and promotes reuse culture. She even had the privilege to introduce this project at the One Million Youth Leaders Beyond 2030 event at the UN headquarters in Geneva in 2019. Her second initiative is Project I Am Enough, a fight against body shaming and eating disorders.
‘Project I Am Enough’ was established in July 2020 by Siya Tayal with the goals of raising awareness of eating disorders, promoting self-love and combating body shaming. It quickly grew into a network of up to 500 people from a variety of backgrounds, including artists, singers, and dancers who express their feelings for their bodies through creative means. The project, which is open to all genders, attempts to normalize all body types.
Siya was herself subjected to body shaming as a child and felt devalued. When she shared her experience with her friends, she realised that everyone had gone through and had similar experiences. This is when she realized that something needed to be done about it because it is a widespread problem.
The young girl believes people of all age groups are thinking about the upliftment of society. “If there is a youngster who has asthma attacks during Diwali, the thought may arise in his or her mind about making posters or awareness efforts around it. If someone likes footwear, they may think how they can sponsor footwear for the underprivileged. Everyone will be able to contribute to social work with ease if they consider their areas of passion,” she asserts.
She says her journey has taught her that there is no specific age or gender requirement for any work. When you start doing any work, just that time is called the right time to do that work! “Those around us should encourage us. Everyone should learn from their lives and from each other how they overcame obstacles in order to move forward in life. In addition to this, it is important to support others so they can advance. Steps must be taken toward empowering others,” she concludes.
by Manisha Dua (Regency Park 2, 9810544892)
