“You have two weeks left to live.”

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That was the worst possible gift any 13-year-old could receive on their birthday. Those words marked the start of my own struggle with an eating disorder.

 

In 8th grade, even in a room full of people, I felt completely alone. I didn’t understand what was happening, and neither did the people around me. No one really knew how to support me, and I didn’t know how to ask for help. There was no education, no school resources, and no space where I felt safe enough to talk about what I was going through.

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Determined to change that, I started a mental health club at my high school through the ANAD School Ambassador Program, rooted in one simple belief: everyone—no matter who or where you are—deserves space, support, and acceptance.

 

What began as a small project to create safe spaces and provide education quickly grew into something much bigger. As students from other schools began reaching out, I realized this work was needed far beyond my campus. That’s why I created Project EDSA—to build the space I never had, and make sure no one else had to go without it.

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Today, Project EDSA is a youth-led initiative providing free resources, education, and support to help students speak up, take action, and build support spaces in their schools and communities. We exist so that anyone, anywhere, has the tools and space to have their voice heard.