A Grade 10 student from Northlands Girls’ High School, Saanvi Chitra, has won the national essay competition hosted by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The competition commemorated 30 years of democracy in South Africa and received over 1,000 entries nationwide. Chitra’s winning essay was praised for its insightful analysis and has been officially published. She is now a published author while still in high school. Her work also appears in the newly launched book, “THREE DECADES OF DEMOCRACY, Critical Reflections.” The award recognizes Chitra’s contribution to reflecting on South Africa’s democratic journey.