Young Aussie author Ashleen Khela hailed as a local hero

While some kids are playing Roblox and Fortnite, a 12-year-old Hills Shire girl is publishing books and donating to charity.

A young girl from Sydney’s northwest has been hailed a local hero, after her two published books and involvement in charity saw her honoured with an Australia Day award.

While most Aussie kids spent their days playing with their friends on Fortnight or Roblox, very few would become a published author by the time they’re 12.

That’s just what Hills Shire local Ashleen Khela has accomplished, writing and publishing two books by the time she was 11-years-old.

12-year-old Ashleen Khela with her two published books. Picture: Supplied

“It all started with the banana incident,” Miss Khela told this masthead.

“Me and my family were visiting Punjab, India since that’s my background and we were going to the temple to pray. And on the way there, I saw a lot of underprivileged children living in the hobbles and slums of rural Punjab.

“I felt really bad for them, like my heart kind of melted as I saw them because I really wanted to do something to help them.”

After buying and giving out more than 200 bananas to the children, Miss Khela wanted to do more to help them and saw her love of writing as the path forward.

“I thought I could probably write a book to help them. It kind of struck in my mind, like I just kind of knew what to do to help them,” she said.

“During Covid, I was around eight or nine years old and I just started writing. I wrote 17 stories and I put it all together. I also drew a few pictures for every story.

Ashleen Khela (far left) with her family holding her two books. Picture: Supplied

“I basically came up with 17 different stories which have mostly inspiring morals for my younger readers that were probably around my age when I wrote that book.”

Miss Khela used multiple avenues to help fund and self publish her first book, 17 Stories, such as recycling bottles, selling backyard plants and using her savings.

Since then, she’s published a second book Journey Through Her Jersey, which was inspired by her little sister and has donated the proceeds through to various Australian and Indian charities.

“I urge more kids to give back to their community,” she said.

At the recent Australia Day Awards by the Hills Shire Council, Miss Khela was awarded Young Citizen of the Year.

Miss Khela’s parents are beyond proud of their daughter, with her father gushing with pride at her accomplishments.

“She’s a good kid and it’s really good to see that, you know, she’s using her passion to do something creative as well as helping the community,” Mr Khela said.

Another local hero celebrated at the council’s award ceremony was Castle Hill organisation Bears of Hope.

Hills Shire Mayor Dr Michelle Byrne with Bears of Hope's Beckie Coleman. Picture: Supplied

Winning Community Group of the Year, the local not-for-profit charity provides comfort and counselling to families grieving the loss of a baby during pregnancy, birth or infancy.

Having been around for almost 20 years, administration and warehouse co-ordinator Beckie Coleman expressed gratitude for the organisation’s recognition.

“All of us here at Bears of Hope were just so honoured,” she said.

“It’s just such a big thing for us to be recognised, especially within our local community.”