An 11-year-old Indian-origin girl has become Australia's youngest female author with her debut book '17 Stories.'
Ashleen Khela, who has roots in Punjab India, opted to publish her book independently despite having financial support from her parents. The book is a compilation of her works from 2022 and 2023.
Over a period of two years, Khela collected and recycled empty plastic and glass bottles, as well as soft drink cans, at recycling stations in NSW to generate funds for publishing her first book. She also ventured into online sales, planting and selling mango, guava, yucca, and jacaranda plants from her backyard, until she accumulated enough funds for the publication of her book.
“I would firstly like to thank my family, teachers and my school for supporting me throughout my writing. I would also like to specially thank my parents who told me and still tell me that Nothing is impossible! Without them and their love and support throughout my journey of working towards my first book, I would have fallen apart or given up, so thank you mum and dad!” she said.
According to her website all proceeds from the book sales will be donated to the Cancer Council of Australia, and the Starlight Children Foundation, as well as go towards supporting underprivileged children in India.
Khela aspires to establish her own charity to support underprivileged children in developing nations. Alongside pursuing her writing passion, she envisions a career as a doctor and volunteering for social justice organizations to advocate for human rights, child abuse prevention, and environmental issues. Her plan includes authoring one book every year to raise funds for charitable causes.
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