"My daughter will be proud of me when she grows up," says Arti, an 18-year-old rickshaw driver from a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, as she receives the highly decorated Amal Clooney Women's Empowerment Award, named after the world-renowned human rights barrister, at the Prince's Trust Awards in London.
She has been recognized for inspiring other young girls through her work with the government's Pink E-rickshaw initiative, which provides safe transport for women with a mission to drive change, quite literally.
"I take pride in being able to inspire other girls who face similar challenges. This newfound independence has allowed me to see the world in a different light. Now, I am able to fulfill not only my dreams but also those of my daughter," said Arti.
Further, Arti also elaborated on her very first meeting with the British monarch, King Charles III, during an event at Buckingham Palace, and said, it was an unbelievably amazing experience.
"It has been an unbelievably amazing experience, meeting the King who was so nice and sent his namaste to my family back home too. He also listened carefully as I spoke about how much I love driving my e-rickshaw, which does not run on polluting diesel or petrol but one that I charge at home every night," she shared, speaking in Hindi.
It is pertinent to note that the Prince's Trust International, first founded by King Charles when he was the Prince of Wales, will now transform into the King's Trust International. The non-profit and non-government organization works to support young people across 20 countries through employment, education, and enterprise programs.
Meanwhile, Amal Clooney, the British activist-barrister after whom the award is named, speaking about Arti said, "This year's winner, Arti, is an inspirational example of someone whose trailblazing work in a typically male arena makes women in her community safer. Arti is determined to create a world where her daughter will not face the obstacles that she has faced, and she is already making a difference through her example."
(With inputs from PTI)
