Daughter of Salon Owner appointed "Goodwill Ambassador to the Poor" by UN Body

M Nethra, the daughter of a salon owner in Tamil Nadu's Madurai, has been appointed as a "Goodwill Ambassador to the Poor" for the United Nations Association for Development and Peace (UNADAP).

The teenager convinced her father to give Rs 5 lakh, which he saved for her education, to help the poor tide over immense hardships amid the coronavirus lockdown.

State minister Sellur Raju praised the girl for her gesture, and said he will ask Chief Minister E Palaniswami to honour her with an award named after late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa

Praised by the Prime Minister

They spent their saving helping the migrant labourers who suffered a lot during these difficult times. Along with being recognized as an ambassador, she and her family were also praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘ Mann Ki Baat’ program broadcast. “Shri Mohan Ji runs a salon in Madurai. Through sheer hard work, he had saved five lakh rupees for his daughter's education. But he spent the entire amount in the service of the needy and the underprivileged in these difficult ties,” said PM Modi.

Speaking at the UN conference

UNADAP stated that Nethra will be given the opportunity to talk at the United Nations(UN) conferences in New York and Geneva. This opportunity will help her encourage people to reach out to the poorest of the poor. Apart from this, the 13-year-old has also been bestowed with the agency’s ‘DIXON Scholarship’ worth Rs 1 lakh.

Apart from this, the 13-year-old has also been bestowed with the agency’s ‘DIXON Scholarship’ worth Rs 1 lakh.

Nethra who aspires to become a civil servant while talking to The New Indian Express went on to say that, “Initially, we did not understand the significance of the opportunity. Our only intention was to help the poor. Now, the recognition has given me added energy to serve people.” She further also mentioned how honored she was to address the whole world on ‘Alleviation of poverty’ at the UN Forum.

The journey has not been easy for Nethra, and while speaking about her struggles she says. In 2013, few people stole her father’s money and the circumstances were so bad that they weren’t even left with money to buy water. It took them seven years to get back on their feet and to save enough for her higher studies. She also added that she will continue serving the poor.