Nia Nariman has a heart of gold; she juggles studies, soap-making, skateboarding and music
By Indrakshi Dutta
An 11-year-old braveheart from Mumbai has been making and selling soaps online to help other children fight cancer. Battling lymphoblastic leukemia, Nia Nariman is aiming to raise a sum of Rs 10 lakh on Give India, to be used towards cancer treatment for underprivileged children.
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Express Parenting reached out to Zia Nariman, Nia’s mother and companion, who remarked, “If I had to describe her in a word, it would be compassionate. She has always been a curious child. Her love for animals and desire to do something new during the pandemic inspired her to start her soap-making initiative.”
Nia took to making her cutesy, colourful soaps during lockdown, selling them to raise funds for Mumbai-based NGO Welfare of Stray Dogs.
Nia’s initiative stands testament to the sheer grit and determination that is displayed at a young age. When Express Parenting reached out to Zia, the mother-daughter duo were in the hospital for a round of Nia’s chemotherapy. The single mother confessed, “My mother, Nia’s grandmother, has been my pillar of strength.”
She added, “My daughter is continuing with her soap-making business, studies, and school as best as she can. She’s a vivacious child, always curious about new things, always learning something unique. She skateboards, snowboards, sings and enjoys art as well.”
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Nia was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in June 2021. Since then, all proceeds from her venture have been donated to the treatment of cancer survivors with the help of an NGO, CanKids KidsCan. According to her mother, “She has sold over 400 soaps and hopes to continue doing her bit to spread awareness about the disease.”
An individual bar of soap costs between Rs 100-150 and weighs between 90-100 grams. Nia has also made ‘paw butter’, a moisturiser for dogs to keep “their snouts and paws smooth and shiny”. Made from natural and dog-friendly ingredients, the varieties include British tea rose, lemon peel, charcoal coffee, aloe and neem, peppermint and charcoal, watermelon, frangipani and many more. She also provides customisation on orders.
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Incidentally, India is home to about 20 per cent of all childhood cancer cases in the world. About 75,000 children, according to the WHO, get cancer in India annually. Unlike adults, the vast majority of childhood cancers do not have a known cause, such as environmental exposure or lifestyle factors.
Earlier, CanKids KidsCan observed International Child Cancer Day on February 15, 2021 and helped 1,116 children share letters with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office, urging the formation of a national policy on childhood cancer.
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