Location: Mumbai, India
Medical condition: Down’s syndrome
Her story:Zainika is an aspiring super model and part-time baker. She suffers from Down’s syndrome but that doesn’t stop her from trying to spread glam and love.Growing up was tough for Zainika. She had to put in a lot more effort than the other children. She had to study more to keep up with school and had to take up physical and occupational therapy. This made her feel very tired and burnt out. But she never complained. “Everyone tells me it has paid off so I'm lucky”
Her struggle: Zainika felt isolated in school. Initially, she had no friends at the school she was studying in earlier. Even though the school did everything possible to make her feel part of the class, she never felt it. She changed her school and this time, the children were welcoming and she made a friend or two. However, she still feels isolated. Even though she is invited for birthday parties and social gatherings, she feels alone in her group. But Zainika has moved on from her school days with a few close friends who still keep in touch. She has even done very well in her board exams.
Her first step towards making a difference:Zainika works hard at her sister’s bakery. She is in charge of scaling ingredients, baking and logistics. But this is her side hustle and she sees herself primarily as a model. She has recently done a few modelling projects for well-known brands. She has signed with a modelling agency and is actively working towards landing bigger and bigger gigs. She believes in the importance of inclusivity. The modelling industry has set beauty standards and she believes to change that through her work. She wants to inspire the world with her beauty. She is greatly inspired by super model Bella Hadid and Ellie Goldstein, a British model with Down’s syndrome.
Her contribution to the society: Zainika wants the world to know that it is completely ok to be different. “Every child has something that they struggle with and sometimes it’s very difficult for children to overcome their hardships. But parents should focus on their children’s strengths and be more compassionate when it comes to their weaknesses.” As a Down’s syndrome model, she plans to change the world.