Bengaluru: A Class 9 student of Yelahanka presented her project Tarajeevanam, based on the Kerala floods at the Active Summit 2019 held at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The 15-year-old Ira Rathnaparkhe is a student of Stonehill International School near Yelahanka. According to reports, Ira worked with the 1 Million For 1 Billion (1M1B) group along with various organisations over the past year which built libraries for students across flood-affected areas. Together they also conducted counselling and therapy sessions to victims using licensed psychologists.

Ira kicked off the initiative. Through this, she managed to provide 1,700 children with access to a newly built library with required amenities. The UN summit was organised by 1M1B. 1M1B is a UN-accredited social innovation and future skills initiative non-profit organisation with special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

At least 488 people died and 54.11 lakh people in 14 districts of the state were severely affected in Kerala due to the rains and floods in 2018. It is considered as one of the worst floods to have hit the state in over a century.

The woes of the Kuttanad and Alappuzha people continue even months after floods hit the State in August. Thousands of homes were destroyed entirely, and many more were partially damaged, and the Kerala government stated they would compensate the victims with Rs 10,000 for affected families.

Residents say that they have knocked the doors of all the concerned officials but to no avail. The natives still await their relief of Rs 10,000 promised to them by the state government.

Ira said to media that she had a fantastic time and made good friends from across the world during the Active Summit. She also said people should work hard to obtain what they need, and nothing comes easy in life. She remarked that she met many privileged people during the summit and there are many those who are not and urged the “privileged” to help others with their “privileges.”