Miracle Foundation India’s Youth Ambassadors, drawn from Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and local communities, play a vital role in raising awareness about the importance of a family for every child and driving meaningful impact. This month, we celebrate Kalpana Kindo from Jharkhand, who became a Youth Ambassador in 2019.

At the age of seven, Kalpana was placed in a CCI in Odisha due to financial difficulties and family challenges at home. Separated from her family at a young age, the journey was not easy, but over the years, with the right care, consistent support, and growth opportunities, Kalpana began to discover her inner strength and purpose.

Her association with Miracle Foundation India began in 2008 and later deepened in 2017. In 2019, her selection as a Youth Ambassador enabled her to turn her lived experience into leadership. Determined to ensure others do not face the same challenges that she did, Kalpana began leading awareness activities focused on children’s rights and protection. She represented Miracle Foundation India at the 5th Biennial International Conference on Alternative Care for Children 2023 in Kathmandu, Nepal, and participated in a three-day convention on sustainable development in Odisha. She has also been contributing to field surveys on care-experienced youth.

Now working as a B.Sc. Nursing lecturer at Shree Dev Bhoomi Institute of Science, Education and Technology in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and preparing to pursue her Master’s in Nursing, Kalpana is actively seeking spaces where she can mentor youth, especially those transitioning out of institutional care. Her goal is to build leadership among the next generation, and champion for a stronger support system for care-experienced young people.

Kalpana’s story clearly showcases how supporting one young person can open the door for many more.