Why I Rejected First Lady’s Present –Girl Who Refused Marriage At 12

First, she defied the customs of her people and rejected marriage plans for her at 12, and she also refused a present from former US First Lady, Michel Obama.

Ever since, she had become a role model for girls of her age, and the cynosure of eyes all over the world.

This is the capsule story of Miss Payal Jangid, now 16-year, who had begun to grab global headlines just 12.

She was on Tuesday honored for her commitment towards advocating for education and abolition of child marriage, according to agency reports monitored by The Eagle.

 United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed, was on hand to present her with the Change Maker award at the 2019 Global Goals Award.

The awards, an initiative of  the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in New York was widely followed the world over.

 “I want every kid in the world without education to be given a chance to progress in society especially girls who are more likely to drop out because of gender bias or poverty,” she said.

Payal is from Virat Nagar, on the outskirts of Jaipur, in the western state of Rajasthan.

As leader of the child parliament in her village,  she had been invited to meet U.S President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle in 2015, an opportunity rare in her clime and at her age.

It was in recognition of her works tire to support the right to education for young girls in India and dedicates her life to ending the practice of child marriage, reports the Mail online.

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Incidentally, she had admitted she did not know who Michelle Obama was until she met her.

‘She was lovely and after she hugged me people started asking me how I felt. I kept asking people why are people so interested and only then did I come to know how popular Michelle is.’

‘I was surprised when she hugged me as most famous personalities do not even talk to poor people like me.

‘She even took out a ring and handed it to me but I politely refused to take it as my parents have taught me to not take gifts. I was already in awe of her and didn’t know how to react in that moment.

‘She praised me for my work and that was the biggest present. I had tears in my eyes.

‘She told me her younger daughter is my age and that she would bring her to meet me when she visits India next.’

“In our society education is not given much importance but it is my duty to explain to the older generation how schooling is very much needed.

In 2013, Payal was chosen from a dozen candidates in her class to lead the children council.

She said: ‘We organize meetings and discuss various issues like lack of separate toilets for girls in schools and the need to stop child marriage and let children be children.

‘We go from door to door and explain to parents the importance of education. We also tell them not to beat their children and respect their emotions. If parents are loving and caring, children will have a better environment to grow. We aim to make our village ‘child friendly’.’

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Payal, whose father works as a carpenter, is in a government-run school and dreams of becoming a teacher so that she can give education to underprivileged children when older.

‘I want to make most of this opportunity and aim to become a teacher so that I can give education to underprivileged children when I am older.’

Payal who has two sisters and one brother, has been working with Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood) since 2012. It’s an India-based movement campaigning for the rights of children started in 1980 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, the Mail online reports.

Picture credits: Indian Express, Mail Online & World Children’s prize