\t\t\t\tShreya Raju said she saw the need for self-defense awareness in the San Antonio area and decided to take the challenge head-on.<\/p>\n
A new nonprofit called Rise Up Youth, Inc. aims to provide opportunities for children to learn self-defense<\/a>, led by Raju, the Founder and President of the organization.<\/p>\n How we got here<\/strong><\/p>\n Raju said that her past led her to begin Rise Up Youth<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n \u201cSelf-defense is something that is deeply personal to me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt kind of gave me a voice where I didn\u2019t really have one.\u201d<\/p>\n Raju said she grew up dealing with abuse and neglect, and learning proper self-defense helped overcome it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt taught me about confidence, it taught me about self-love, and it taught me about self-esteem,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n What they offer<\/strong><\/p>\n Raju said that the nonprofit provides funding for children to attend self-defense classes and educational programs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe provide funds for underserved kids to attend self-defense classes,\u201d Raju said.<\/p>\n Rise Up Youth will serve the entirety of Bexar County, San Antonio and surrounding areas, according to Raju.<\/p>\n In the future, she said she hopes they can expand and serve people around the country who need it.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n