Arjun Kaur Mittal

At just 16, Arjun is changing what it means to be a youth leader in global health. A student, triathlete, researcher, and founder of the nonprofit Her Needs, she is tackling period poverty, educational inequality, and healthcare inaccessibility across Tanzania and beyond.

Her journey began with a statistic: 11,875 kilometres – the total distance her family travelled to access healthcare after her father’s paralysis. That number became symbolic of the barriers Tanzanians face daily – particularly women and girls. Shocked by the lack of access to sanitary products and education, she launched Her Needs in 2024. The initiative has since distributed over 22,000 reusable pads, supported 43 schools, and raised $85,000, transforming menstrual health access for thousands of girls across Tanzania. 

Beyond product delivery, she is reshaping policy and culture. She was invited to address the Tanzanian Parliament to advocate for the removal of the tampon tax. She also launched Fursa for Women, training 50 mother-entrepreneurs in financial literacy and project management, equipping them to scale their businesses and achieve financial independence.

Academically, Arjun excels in applying knowledge to real-world challenges. Her IB Extended Essay critiques the economic impact of menstrual inequity. She is collaborating with the University of Dar es Salaam on a research paper linking sanitary pad access to girls' school attendance and national growth indicators.

As Head Girl at North London Collegiate School, Dubai, she’s embedded service into school culture. Through the Charity Committee, she’s led fundraising efforts, mentored younger students, and launched a CAS service trip to Tanzania. Her platform Enterprise: The Passion Project helps students globally create service initiatives with lasting community impact.

She’s also a national-level triathlete, using sport as a tool for resilience and advocacy. She has coached 65+ students in Arusha and led four-week football camps that promoted fitness as healthcare. After recovering from anorexia nervosa, she returned to competition, ultimately qualifying for the T100 World Championships – a comeback she calls a race won not just on the track, but in reclaiming her body and purpose.

Her work now spans health, entrepreneurship, sports, education, and policymaking. In 2024, she partnered with Lions Club, Srimad Rajchandra Love & Care, OBNE, and the Alama Foundation to ship a 40-ft container of supplies and launch hygiene education, sports, and literacy programs in 43 Tanzanian schools. The project, formally launched in August 2024, now supports 22,000 students.

If awarded the Global Student Prize, Arjun plans to scale Her Needs into a pan-African menstrual equity movement, introduce solar-powered pad production, create mobile health clinics, and fund more scholarships for girls. 

For Arjun menstrual health is not just a hygiene issue – it’s a human rights issue. She is proving that real change starts where empathy meets action – and that even a single student can move the needle for thousands.