Vrinda Madan

In a society that is full of judgement and plagued with negativity, it becomes increasingly difficult for young children to truly be themselves. Unfortunately, feeling comfortable in their own skin is a very real challenge that many children face.
 
Vrinda Madan is working toward putting an end to this. As co-founder of Project Be-YOU-tiful, an organization aimed at raising the self-esteem of young children, Madan is dedicated to teaching children their self-worth.
 
Project Be-YOU-tiful's mission is to instill confidence in children by focusing on internal beauty and embracing yourself. Last year, the organization put together a Fun Run, in which students from a local school participated in a mini-marathon. As the students paced through the race, they were showered with encouragement, from empowering chants, to bright signs reading "You are beautiful!"

Knowing what these children are going through and understanding the challenges that they face has given Madan the extra motivation she needs. She has spent countless hours creating motivational tools and inspiring presentations, which she has shared with grade-school students for the past three years. During this period, Madan has reached out to over 700 children from kindergarten to 8th grade.
 
The constant bombardment of media, whether it's projecting a particular look or conveying some message, isn't always beneficial for young, impressionable minds.
Sure, the ability to conveniently share ideas and information has its strengths, but when it starts to stunt the growth of children to the point that they aren't feeling accepted for who they are, something needs to change.
 
Positive reinforcement for many young students is all they need, which is exactly what Project Be-YOU-tiful provides. For those children who are bullied in school or made to feel different, when they are at their lowest, Madan is there to pick them up.