Creating Global Female Changemakers

ABURY Girls Gearing Up (GGU) is Europe’s first international leadership academy for teen girls. It serves as a vibrant, global community of changemakers. Since 2014, GGU has been empowering girls aged 13–17 from all backgrounds to step into their power and create meaningful impact in their communities and beyond. The ultimate goal is to ensure that every girl, no matter where she comes from, has the opportunity to discover her voice, grow into her leadership potential, and use her power to shape a more just and inclusive world.

Deep Griha Academy as the India Hub

In 2019, two girls from Deep Griha Academy were selected to travel to Berlin to participate in GGU, and in 2020 due to Covid, two girls attended these sessions online. After this, Deep Griha Academy was officially recognised as Girls Gearing Up’s India Hub. Since then, a total of 129 girls have attended GGU’s India Hub. This year, DGA’s facilitators conducted activities for 24 girls from schools across Maharashtra, including Ratnagiri, Sangamner, Pune, and Deulgaon Gada. This year’s cohort was the most diverse in India yet, with girls from new schools and communities joining the GGU family for the first time.

A Week of Being Seen, Heard and Celebrated

The activities gave the girls exposure to building community and trust, finding their voice through public speaking, developing leadership skills, exploring new worlds through cultural exchange, celebrating diverse identities and perspectives, and understanding mental health. The week, full of creating spaces where girls felt seen, heard and celebrated, culminated in them presenting their own Changemaker Action Plans.

Aaradhya, a grade 7 student from DGA, reflected “I was able to build confidence and learn practical skills. My communication skills have also improved”. In conversation with her parents, her mother expressed that she has observed a huge improvement in her confidence. She was particularly taken aback by her public speaking skills. “Since attending GGU, Aaradhya has been more vocal about her preferences at home and outside alike”, her mother said.

Power Mentor Sessions

Throughout the week, the girls meet inspiring women from around the world working across a wide range of fields. These are called the Power Mentor Sessions. Girls have the chance to ask questions and discover new possibilities for their own futures. This year, many girls’ favourite power mentor was a 22-year-old professional pilot named Quinnie Lobo. “Speaking to her made me realise that my age does not determine what I can achieve”, Srushti, a grade 8 student from DGA, expressed. Ikra, grade 7 at DGA, said that what made Quinnie’s power mentor session stand out was that “she made us feel that anything is possible if we put our mind to it”.

Hands-On Workshops

Through hands-on workshops, the girls explore how they can use those skills to become changemakers — from understanding the Sustainable Development Goals to developing ideas for creating positive change. This year, during their visit to Studio Alternatives, a space for upcycled solutions, the girls explored sustainability, recycling and upcycling and learned how everyday materials can be given a new life instead of becoming waste. Shagufa, a grade 7 student at DGA, expressed that since this visit, she has become more conscious about cleanliness and sustainability. “I realised that to manage waste, we need to come up with creative solutions in communities”, she explained.

Through this one-week immersive experience, the girls learnt that leadership is about recognising challenges, thinking creatively and believing that you can contribute to change. Over the years, through the ABURY GGU academy, the facilitators from Deep Griha Academy continue to spark global connections, foster empathy and understanding across cultures, and support girls in becoming bold, compassionate changemakers in their communities and beyond.