Carolina has Heart: Shreya Mantha
[CAROLINA HAS HEART] I'm so excited to start this new series "Carolina has Heart". Our first honoree is an incredible 17-year-old from right here in Charlotte! Watch her story below.
Here's Shreya's bio from L'Oréal's 2018 Women of Worth:
At just 13 years old, Shreya Mantha was tutoring sex-trafficking survivors to help them get their GEDs. Before her grandmother passed away from cancer, she told Shreya that many girls around the world need help and she wished Shreya would continue to support underprivileged girls. To fulfill her grandmother’s wish, Shreya set out on a mission to empower girls in crises and started making a difference in her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, where the need is abundant. Charlotte is at the bottom of the list of major cities for economic mobility. Also, there is a 4.4% probability that a child reaches the top quintile of the national income distribution starting from a family in the bottom quintile in Charlotte. To do her part, in 2014 at just 13 years old, Shreya established Foundation For Girls, a youth-led social venture to change the life-trajectory of at-risk girls through a network of “caring coaches” and programs in Digital Literacy, Financial Wellness, Leadership, and Health and Wellbeing. Shreya partners with local community organizations, students, and professionals to coach girls in shelters, crisis centers, and afterschool programs. Working with trafficking survivors, teen moms, homeless, and refugees she gives them hope, aspiration, and scaffolding so that they can take charge of their futures. Shreya gives them access to coaches and tools they need to realize their full potential, find their passions, and become strong, confident, and self-reliant women. By June 2018, Foundation for Girls has reached 1,480 girls and youth since inception while conducting 298 workshops and investing over 14,000 hours in changing the life-trajectory of girls in crisis.
Voting continues for Shreya until Nov. 30th! Click here to vote for her for L'Oréal's 2018 Women of Worth.
Do you know someone inspiring that has a heart for others in our community? We want to feature that person on the NBC Charlotte evening news. This could be the everyday hero quietly going about his/her day to make the Carolinas a better place. There are no set rules for a nominee. They can be young or old, a group of students or an individual, as long as they inspire you that’s who we are looking for! Please send your nominees to sarah@wcnc.com.