From the streets of Hyderabad to international stages, Jayalakshmi Aripina’s journey is a testament to resilience, courage, and the transformative power of education. Growing up as a child of garbage collectors, she faced discrimination, poverty, and societal barriers but refused to let them define her future.In this inspiring TEDxTRP talk, Jayalakshmi shares how she turned adversity into activism, empowered her community, advocated for children’s education, and influenced public policy all while pursuing her own dreams. Jayalaxmi Aripina is an Indian changemaker and advocate from Hyderabad who was born into a family of ragpickers and rose to international prominence for her work in social activism, particularly through the Children's Parliament movement. She has been a "Prime Minister" of both city-level and global children's parliaments, where she raised issues like hunger and garbage collection, leading to policy changes such as the implementation of free breakfast programs in two Indian states. Her efforts have earned her recognition, including a Changemaker Award and an appointment as British Deputy High Commissioner for a Day, and support from figures like actor Jagapathi Babu for her aspirations to become an IAS officer. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx