PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — She's only 13 years old, but a Prior Lake teen is being honored for her efforts to make life better for fellow children across the globe.
The American Red Cross announced Tuesday that Sanya Pirani is being recognized as 2020's Youth Hero for her dedication to volunteering, and for founding "Sanya's Hope for Children," a nonprofit that supports children in need both here in Minnesota and around the world.
Sponsored by Medica Foundation, the American Red Cross Youth Hero Award is given annually to an outstanding young person who reacted with courage and compassion after encountering an "unusual, significant or unexpected incident." This could be a onetime incident, or involvement in an ongoing commitment to the community through acts of kindness, courage, or selflessness.
Sanya has been volunteering in the community since she was 7 years old, and in 2017 took an unusual step for a child of her age by founding Sanya's Hope for Children, a nonprofit with the mission of providing basic necessities and educational opportunities for children who lack them.
“Education is the only way out of poverty,” said Sanya. “I am on a mission to make sure every child has access to basic life necessities and a quality education.”
Her biggest effort to date is the School Bag Project, where Sanya and more than 200 volunteers sewed and filled bags for local homeless youth to use as backpacks. She used her passion for sewing to teach other youth in her community how to sew the bags from local scrap furniture fabric.
The team donated over 500 of their bags to local homeless shelters over the holidays.
"She's teaching adults, even organizations within the community about that model we need to follow, not just as part of our jobs but also within the community and volunteerism," reflected Eric Gentry of Community Action Program (CAP), "and how to make the world a better place."
To find out more about Sanya's story, check out this clip.
