You’re never too young to make a difference. At age 12, Prasiddhi Singh is leading a campaign to plant more trees, and she hopes other kids will do the same.

Prasiddhi was 4 years old in 2016, when a type of storm called a cyclone caused major destruction in the region of India where she lives. The storm brought rain and wind so strong that it uprooted huge trees.

Trees are important for many reasons. They improve air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They also feed and shelter birds, mammals, and insects. Trees can even help reduce the effects of flooding by slowing the flow of floodwater. Overall, trees help reduce the effects of climate change.

After the cyclone in India, many people worked to plant new trees where the old ones had been lost. Prasiddhi, whose parents had taught her about the importance of trees, was among these helpers.

Prasiddhi began to think about what else she could do. In 2018, the year she turned 6, she set a personal goal to help plant 100,000 trees. To help her reach her goal, she founded the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation later that year.

“I had multiple questions come into my mind,” Prasiddhi explained in a video she posted to her YouTube channel. “For example, where will I plant? What will I plant? Who will take care of [what I plant]?”

With permission, Prasiddhi decided to plant trees at schools, on public lands, and in other places where there would be people to care for delicate saplings (baby trees) as they grew into strong adult trees. She chose fruit trees, which support many different types of animals.

So far, with help from partners in 20 countries, Prasiddhi and the rest of the team at her foundation have planted 150,000 trees!

Prasiddhi has been recognized around the world for her efforts. Now, she wants to inspire other kids to find ways to help solve problems. Simple actions can lead to big results, she said on YouTube.

“I believe that a single step, a single drop, a single impact together can [make] a huge difference,” said Prasiddhi.