EmpowerHer Camp 2025: The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead

 In celebration of the International Day of the Girl, FundLife successfully hosted the EmpowerHer: Girls Leadership Camp 2025 on October 4, 2025, at Sabang Daguitan Surf Camp in Dulag, Leyte. The event gathered 57 young girls from Dulag and Tacloban City, who participated in a series of leadership and protection-focused learning sessions and activities.

The participants included girls from the Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP), Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (BCPC), and FundLife partner schools, reflecting strong collaboration between youth groups, local councils, and schools in promoting girl leadership and protection.

Guided by the theme “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” the camp celebrated girls’ voices and leadership as powerful drivers of transformation and resilience in their communities.

While progress has been made globally in advancing girls’ rights, many girls in Eastern Visayas continue to face intersecting barriers to safety, education, and participation. The region remains one of the most vulnerable areas in the Philippines to Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Minors (CSAEM), intensified by poverty, limited digital literacy, and post-disaster instability. Adolescent girls are particularly at risk of exploitation and early pregnancy, with many lacking access to protection mechanisms or safe spaces to learn and lead.

Recognizing these urgent challenges, FundLife organized the EmpowerHer Camp 2025 to help girls build the knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills needed to protect themselves and lead change in their communities. The camp provided an avenue for participants to engage in learning sessions on protection, gender equality, and responsible digital use—underscoring that girls are not just survivors of crises but capable leaders driving transformation in their communities.

The two-day activity featured interactive workshops, reflection circles, and team activities that helped participants explore their identities, strengths, and roles as young leaders. A special workshop deepened their understanding of the International Day of the Girl Child celebration and its theme. Through this session, participants reflected on the diversity of girls’ experiences and recognized how addressing their unique challenges and needs can help them pursue their ambitions while continuing to lead positive change and provide solutions within their communities. One of the focused sessions, “Protecting Children from OSAEC and CSAEM,” introduced participants to Republic Act No. 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act—a Philippine law that protects children from all forms of online and offline sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation. The session deepened participants’ understanding of their rights and the legal mechanisms designed to safeguard them.

Another session, “Understanding AI: The Good, The Bad, and Staying Safe,” helped participants explore the growing role of artificial intelligence in society. The discussion guided them in understanding how AI works, its advantages in combating OSAEC and CSAEM, and the risks it poses when misused. Participants also identified ways young people can use AI responsibly to protect themselves and promote digital safety among their peers.

Beyond the learning sessions, participants took part in team-building games, art workshops, and reflection activities that fostered creativity, confidence, and collaboration.

“Every girl has her own purpose, and we have different perspectives in life,” shared Kyli Aisis, Local Child Representative. “When we combine our knowledge and perspectives, we can create change not just for today but for the future. I hope this kind of activity continues and reaches other places to help and empower young girls.”

Kyli’s reflection captures the essence of FundLife’s mission to nurture young girls to lead with confidence, compassion, and courage.

Beyond learning, the camp also provided opportunities for play, connection, and creativity through team-building games, art workshops, and reflection activities. These moments of laughter and collaboration helped strengthen the girls’ confidence and sense of belonging.

The EmpowerHer Camp offered more than just lessons; it created a safe, joyful, and inclusive space for girls to discover who they are and who they want to become. Through shared experiences and mentorship, participants built bonds with peers who share the same vision of creating safer, more equitable, and inclusive communities.

This initiative is part of FundLife’s ongoing mission to advance gender equality and youth empowerment through education, mentorship, and play-based learning. In many communities, girls continue to face barriers to education, safety, and leadership, challenges that FundLife continues to address by creating girl-led learning spaces that build confidence, resilience, and agency.

By ensuring that girls are not only heard but equipped to lead change, FundLife continues to build a future where every child, regardless of gender or background, has the opportunity to reach their full potential and where empowered girls become the driving force for a more just and inclusive society.