HOUSTON — In March, KHOU 11 Information has been celebrating sturdy girls from all walks of life who’re passionate and deeply devoted to what they do.

Wednesday is Rania Mankarious’ flip to be acknowledged. She’s CEO of Crime Stoppers Houston, the nonprofit devoted to public security. They help legislation enforcement in addition to crime victims.

“I suppose I’m a criminal offense fighter. It is bizarre, as a result of, I imply, I am the alternative. And I am 5 toes tall. You recognize, I do not like confrontation. However I am very enthusiastic about individuals’s rights to reside a good and simply life,” Mankarious stated about her mission.

Mankarious began as an intern in 2006. As she grew in her occupation, so did Crime Stoppers’ program and scope of providers, with initiatives in sufferer advocacy, protected colleges and communities and cybercrime.

“Crime Stoppers was searching for a lawyer with advertising and marketing expertise. And I used to be like, properly, that is me. I am going to go,” she stated. “And right here I’m. And once I walked in, I fell in love with the mission.”

The applications have by no means been wanted extra because of the alarming rise in crime in Houston.

“It is actually the worst we have seen … the worst the town and county have seen … (in) at the least 30 years,” she stated.

Mankarious is dedicated to staying optimistic and discovering an answer. It is the one means she is aware of methods to take care of the grim actuality.

“We all the time have stated that taking a look at public security and investing within the schooling and the notice does, it ought to, make you the alternative of paranoid. It ought to make you’re feeling ready, it ought to make you’re feeling empowered and it ought to make you’re feeling like a part of the answer,” Mankarious stated.

She leans on the teachings she discovered from her Egyptian immigrant dad and mom. They’re the identical classes she hopes to move on to her personal three daughters, who’re the inspiration behind her work and analysis.

“The following era is why we do that. We’re very pleased with the town. I am very pleased with the work we get to do right here. And sure, it is very, very, very taxing. It’s extremely exhausting. You are coping with people who find themselves damaged … people who find themselves scared. People who find themselves unhappy. To see a dad or mum that is misplaced a toddler, I imply, … these emotions do not depart you,” she stated. “To see a younger woman that is uncovered herself on-line and is suicidal … that does not depart you. … However figuring out that you could cease the following case is large. It retains you going.”

The Crime Stoppers Houston tip line will get about 2,500 calls each month and has paid out about $12 million in reward cash. Anybody with details about a criminal offense ought to report it by calling Houston police or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).