Ria Badhwar was 5 years old when her parents got divorced, and in the years that followed, she watched as her mother dealt with severe depression and anxiety.
For a long time, Badhwar said her mom was unhappy with the way her life had turned out. She lost her sense of purpose.
In late 2022, her mom abruptly left, and Badhwar had to move in with her father. As a result, she too battled anxiety and depression, but was able to work through it in therapy.
Badhwar, 17, realized that a lot of young girls and women are experiencing mental health issues, and last year, she launched the nonprofit, EmpowerNari. “Nari” means woman in Sanskrit.
The group aims to support women experiencing mental health challenges, and to inspire them to pursue the help that Badhwar said she was fortunate to receive.
Badhwar’s been working with Olivia Hoppa on the efforts. Hoppa is also researching how the group can have an impact on what she’s calling the mental health and drug crisis in Loudoun County and how to lobby state lawmakers for more mental health resources.
“I really want to help out other people who are going through similar issues,” Badhwar said. “Especially because when my mother left, I just kind of felt like I was really alone. I really felt like I didn’t have anyone to talk to. I didn’t really feel like I have a support system.”
So far, Badhwar said the group has collected 7,050 articles of clothes that were donated to Women Giving Back, another nonprofit in Sterling, Virginia. The organization has a boutique where low-income women can shop for themselves and their families twice a year for free, Badhwar said.
Last weekend, EmpowerNari partnered with City Girls Who Walk D.C. to execute an almost two-mile walk event in Navy Yard. The walk raised over $350 for Women Giving Back, Badhwar said.
“I feel like, especially (for) women in Loudoun County and single moms, their main issue for battling depression and anxiety is probably financial reasons,” Badhwar said. “So I really wanted to help out low-income women in our area.”
In addition to continuing clothing donations, Badhwar said her nonprofit is writing cards to women who are either deployed or are veterans, and is planning to make care packages for domestic violence survivors.
She also wants to talk to Virginia state lawmakers to advocate for more resources to help expand youth mental health services.
“A lot of people are battling a lot of things,” Badhwar said. “And they’re not really talking about it or not dealing it with healthy ways. They’re kind of keeping it hidden. I feel like if we encourage open discussion, and really help people out, that’s going to make a big difference.”
Too many people, Badhwar said, treat mental health as “something you can just get over, and they don’t treat it as an actual problem or disease or condition.”
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