Payal Jangid

“Life is a beautiful mess of uncertain things” - says Payal Jangid. Persistent, patient, selfless, and kind-hearted are all words used to describe Payal Jangid, a girl from India. She is truly a hero. A hero has to persevere to get through hard times. Being selfless means not to think just about yourself; patient, not to expect change right away, but to keep on pushing to make it happen; and kind-hearted, showing or having sympathy and kindness. My hero is Payal Jangid.

Payal was a child slave turned youth activist. She is a teenager who lives in Hinsla, a small village in Rajasthan, India. In Rajasthan, many people live in poverty and girls are forced into child marriage. Payal wanted to stop this. So now, she is the president of the Child Parliament. When she talks, both children and adults listen.

She exemplifies selflessness by going into homes to explain why school is good for their children. She and the Child Parliament also talk to fathers and husbands and tell them not to hit their children or wives. In fact, she said, “If they are loving instead, things are better for everyone.” Payal shows kind-heartedness by making her village “child-friendly.” She has stopped many child marriages. She makes her village better for the future generations. She also wants to be a teacher and give education to underprivileged kids.

She displays patience by slowly convincing people to change their thoughts about children. She does this by raising awareness to parents, peers, and local political leaders. Payal shows persistence by trying to change everybody's mind. She currently is going around other rural villages trying to spread her message.

Thank you for reading about Payal Jangid. Her story inspired me, and I hope it inspired you.