Culture

11th class student Navya Mrig on a mission to bust myths about organ donation

By News18

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11th class student Navya Mrig on a mission to bust myths about organ donation

New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): Some of India’s most challenging health choices become manageable when they’re discussed at home, in classrooms, and community halls–rather than in the panic of an ICU. Saahas, a Delhi-based nonprofit organisation founded in 2024 by Class XI student Navya Mrig of The Ram School, Moulsari (Gurugram), is building exactly that culture. This youth-led initiative focuses on a critical area: organ donation–a decision that saves lives through timely consent.In the case of deceased organ donation, consent must come quickly and confidently from next of kin. Yet myths, misinformation, and hesitation often obstruct families from taking this step in time. Saahas directly addresses these challenges with straightforward sessions that clarify facts and dispel fears, ending with simple, actionable next steps for families.Saahas organises workshops, myth-busting talks, and hospital-linked seminars across schools, resident welfare associations, and workplaces. Each session clearly explains how organ donation works–covering aspects such as brain-stem death certification and family consent, said the NGO.This proactive, “conversation-first” approach transforms complex medical topics into familiar family discussions. It also fosters confident messengers: students who talk to their siblings and parents, teachers who encourage discussions among staff, and community leaders who keep the dialogue going long after the event.At the heart of Saahas is a fundamental belief: young people can normalise life-saving choices when given the right tools. The team creates kits that include slide decks, facilitator notes, QR-linked checklists, and referral contacts, making it easier for volunteers to host sessions that institutions can replicate, said the NGO.Saahas partners with schools, RWAs, hospitals, and workplaces to co-host crisp Q&As with clinicians and transplant coordinators, and we honour donor & recipient families with small, dignified ceremonies–building trust, visibility, and momentum.In a country where minutes matter and myths cost lives, Saahas shows that culture change can be organised: one living room, one PTA meeting, one staff room at a time. By moving organ donation out of crisis and into everyday life, Navya Mrig’s youth-led network turns awareness into action and hesitation into preparedness, said the NGO.In a country where minutes matter and myths cost lives, Saahas shows that culture change can be organised: one living room, one PTA meeting, one staff room at a time. By moving organ donation out of crisis and into everyday life, Navya Mrig’s youth-led network turns awareness into action and hesitation into preparedness. (ANI)