Empowering the Next Generation: My Journey into Cyber Safety

I’m Aashray Mathai, a high school student at Oakridge International School in Bachupally and the founder of Mpowered. Over the past couple of years, I’ve dedicated myself to an important mission: creating an army of young Cyber Safety Warriors in Hyderabad.

The pandemic has accelerated our reliance on the internet. With this surge in digital activity comes a darker side—human traffickers exploiting fake websites, gaming apps, social networks, and misleading ads to trap unsuspecting youth and children. The Crime in India Report 2020 highlights this disturbing trend: 88% of human trafficking victims in India are women and children, with children making up 47% of that figure.

In the midst of this alarming situation, I spent time with underprivileged kids, teaching them foundational skills. It struck me that the increased use of mobile devices after the pandemic had put these children and their families at greater risk. I knew that raising awareness was crucial to combat this growing threat.

So, I took action. I researched and designed a kid-friendly Best Practices presentation on cyber safety. Through engaging awareness sessions and poster creation activities in various slum areas, I’m proud to see that these kids and their families are now more informed and safer online.

But I didn’t stop there. My Mpowered organization joined forces with the Cybercrime and Women’s Safety Wing of the Cyberabad Police to take this initiative even further. We organized a series of awareness sessions at the Rao’s chain of schools across Hyderabad.

During these sessions, I explained the various dangers lurking in the cyber world through interactive Q&A symposia. I presented real-life scenarios of cybercrimes, asked the kids how they would respond, and shared best practices for staying safe online. To extend the reach of our efforts, I appointed some of these kids as Cyber Safety Warriors. Their role? To carry out similar discussions with their peers and in their neighborhoods. Their enthusiasm and eagerness to take on this responsibility have been truly inspiring.

Looking ahead, I’m committed to expanding these sessions across different segments of society. The goal is to build a safer cyber world for everyone. Through education and awareness, we can empower the next generation to navigate the digital landscape safely and responsibly.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. Together, we can make a difference and create a safer online environment for all.