Meet Anushka – Our incredible volunteer of 5 years

When I was in sixth grade, a teacher of mine introduced me to the wild world of plastic pollution. After learning about the problem and the imminent threat it posed to our world, I was instantly hooked and hungered for programs that would satiate my continuing need to take action. After reaching out to Algalita in 2013, I was invited to serve as a POPS Youth Summit peer advisor where I worked with students from all over the world to improve upon innovative projects and develop strategic initiatives to involve youth communities worldwide. There I solidified my passion for working with and speaking on the behalf of my peers about the plastic problem. Soon after the Summit, I took on the role as Algalita’s Youth Ambassador.

For almost five years, I have been supported by Algalita as a spokesperson for youth within the movement. I work closely with the team to provide opinions on the efficacy of youth programming, speak on panels and at fundraisers, and unite our organization with others. Being Youth Ambassador has only augmented my passion for getting others involved in the movement. Algalita has changed my life in many ways, but most of all it has helped me and other youth like me to find a confident voice with which to speak about issues that matter to me.

Working with Algalita has provided me with years of invaluable educational experiences, some of which I was involved in creating. Algalita’s youth-centric programs are developed with the input youth like me, and they’re geared towards the interests and abilities of young people of all ages. My work as youth ambassador has made me a more confident, inspired, and passionate individual with an improved leadership toolkit. I have learned to be an informed and involved citizen, and am prepared to fight for a future where problems like plastic pollution are extinct.