At twelve, most people expect you to collect hobbies, but I seem to have collected causes instead. My name is Reet Khandelwal, a 12-year-old passionate changemaker, author, advocate for the SDGs, and someone who loves to work for social causes. Being considered as the living embodiment of passion for action, I was determined to create real change and, after hours of researching, something kindled a spark in me: Girl Up. I found an opportunity to start a Girl Up Club called GU Ripple, and honestly, being the President of the club? That’s one of the best decisions of my life. Founded in September 2025, we have conducted 20+ events and we’re only getting started!
One random evening, I received a message from a team member of a partner organisation: “Would you like to attend an event co-facilitated by Girl Up India?” I was beyond thrilled to be invited since it was my first such event. With mixed feelings, I entered Sustaina, hosted by GUI & CEEW India at Bikaner House, with my mother accompanying me. Upon reaching the amphitheater, I realized that everyone was way too old compared to me, which made me feel nervous. For a brief moment, I wondered if I truly belonged in that room. Still, I chose to stay and see what awaited me.
For the first activity, the ice didn’t break with introductions. It broke with fruit. We were asked to pick a random fruit with no context or explanation. A few awkward laughs later, the room shifted as people began grouping by their choices. Strangers became teammates in seconds, and what started as a playful activity slowly unfolded into something deeper – conversations about why we cared about the planet at all. That moment made me meet two amazing people: Monal Manann and Niyamat Kochar, who are such amazing and welcoming personalities! Everybody seemed so inviting and supportive. My jitters seemed to disappear into thin air after interacting with them.
At twelve, most people expect you to collect hobbies, but I seem to have collected causes instead.
After our discussions, we were asked to share our “climate stories,” which centred around what we cared about, how climate change touches that dream, and what a turning point in that world would look like. Listening to others speak, I realised something quietly powerful – everyone in that room carried a different reason to care, but the urgency felt shared. Climate change stopped sounding like a distant global problem and started feeling something personal.
Afterwards, we were asked to let our creative side run wild by writing letters to future generations, stories, doodling, or anything to express our climate story. Being a writer, I penned down a poem called “I Reminisce,” which was about the nostalgia of my childhood compared to today. When I stood up to share it, I expected a simple reaction. What I didn’t expect was the warmth in the room – the way people listened with genuine curiosity. In that moment, I wasn’t “the youngest person there” anymore, but just another voice in the circle.
By the time the event wrapped up, I had engaged in meaningful discussions and met four people who had affected me in the best way: Pratishtha , Aditi , Monal , and Niyamat. The nervousness I walked in with had quietly dissolved.
Walking out of Bikaner House that evening, I realised something simple but certain: joining Girl Up India hadn’t just given me opportunities, it had given me spaces where my voice mattered. And sometimes, that’s all a young changemaker needs – because when young voices are given space, change stops being an idea and becomes inevitable.
