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ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025

United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.

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UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT SARANYA DEVI MAZHAVANCHERIL SANILKUMAR, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.

University of Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram, India | Advancing SDG 4, SDG 3 & UNAI 1

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" As someone who believes in the principle of the Rule of Law, I believe that the Millennium Fellowship will amplify my ability to safeguard this principle whenever it is undermined. I also believe that through this Fellowship I can strengthen my capacity to advocate for the marginalized sections as well as break the cycles of injustice suffered by them and align my efforts with the UN' s goals. "

Millennium Fellowship Project: Dheena Dhwani & Holding Hands

The aim is to raise awareness and act toward eradicating poverty by empowering individuals with knowledge, opportunities, and access to legal resources.
Through this, we hope to amplify the unheard voices and make a tangible difference in the lives of those who struggle silently in our society. Holding Hands,” is built on the beautiful idea that together, we can create sustainable change.
This initiative focuses on SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4 – Quality Education, aiming to foster community sustainability, emotional support, and educational inclusion.
Through “Holding Hands,” we want to build bridges of compassion — encouraging students, families, and institutions to collaborate for a healthier and more caring society.
This project reminds us that real transformation happens when hearts unite — when we hold each other through difficulties, sharing both knowledge and kindness.
Our approach blends community engagement and practical assistance — ensuring that small efforts lead to lasting results. As part of Dheena Dhwani, our first step was to conduct a preliminary field study to identify the most affected and neglected areas where legal and social awareness is minimal.
Through this, we discovered that poverty and lack of awareness often go hand in hand — especially when people are unaware of their basic legal rights and protections.
With this understanding, we organized a Legal Awareness Session at the Vocational Higher Secondary School, PMG, focusing on high school students who represent the next generation of change-makers.
We discussed critical social issues like drug abuse, cybercrimes, and child protection, introducing them to essential laws like the NDPS Act, the POCSO Act, and the legal measures available for online safety.
The session was not a lecture but an interactive dialogue — students shared their thoughts, asked insightful questions, and even expressed interest in pursuing legal studies to serve their communities.
It was heartening to see that even a small awareness initiative can plant seeds of responsibility and empathy in young minds.
As part of the Holding Hands project, we decided to focus on the early childhood stage, understanding that the foundation of growth and sustainability begins there.
We visited the Anganwadi at Barton Hill Colony, where we interacted with children below the age of four and the caregivers who nurture them daily.
We conducted a small study on nutrition, education, and early development, trying to understand the challenges these children and educators face.
To make the day more joyful, we distributed coloring books, crayons, and small activity materials to engage the children creatively. The smiles on their faces were priceless — a simple reminder of how much joy small gestures can bring.
We also had conversations with Anganwadi officials about the infrastructure, resources, and the programs they run for child development.
This experience helped us realize how crucial grassroot-level engagement is in understanding real community needs.
It was not just a visit — it was an opportunity to connect, learn, and reaffirm our commitment to sustainable community development.
The impact we’i've created is just the beginning.
We are determined to continue expanding these initiatives, reaching more communities, and collaborating with local bodies to ensure our efforts grow sustainably even beyond this fellowship.

About the Millennium Fellow

Saranya Devi Mazhavancheril Sanilkumar is a cheerful,bright and dedicated law student at the University of Kerala,India. Born and raised in the southern state of India - Kerala,she has always been advocating for a better life for the people near and far from her. Guided by an hopeful vision towards Social justice Saranya envisions a society where every individual has the opportunity to live with dignity. Her passion towards law originates from the strong belief that it is not merely a profession, but a powerful tool to help the marginalized section of the society. Throughout her academic life, she has worked consistently to learn and contribute towards the upliftment of those in need and she pledges to continue doing that. Saranya aspires to be a changemaker in the world of those whose voices are not heard enough. She aspires to be their voice. A voice against the inequalities that prevail.

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