BeThatGirl

🎓 Celebrating Our Graduates! ✨ Today, we honor the incredible achievements of three Be That Girl Foundation mentees who have graduated from Rockview University in the Chibombo district. Supported by our mentorship and educational programs, funded by the BeThatGirl Foundation and implemented by Mothers Without Borders, these amazing young women earned their Diplomas in General Clinical Medicine last December. Their graduation ceremony was filled with joy and gratitude. We are incredibly proud of our graduates! 🌟 #BeThatGirl #MothersWithoutBorders #Graduation #EmpoweringFutures #WomenInMedicine #SelfDetermination #WomenEmpowerment #WomenEducation 📸 One of our graduates stands proudly with her mentor, Charity, highlighting the strong mentorship that made their success possible.

🌟 Empowering Young Women with Sarah Furrer 🌟 We’re excited to share our latest interview with Sarah Furrer, a seasoned expert in social development and gender equality with over 20 years of experience across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. As a Board Member of the Be The Girl Foundation, Sarah discusses her journey from rural African villages to leading impactful initiatives that empower adolescent girls and young women. ✨ In This Conversation, Sarah Shares: 👉 How her upbringing ignited her passion for gender equality 👉 Insights into advancing social justice and empowerment 👉 The unique approach of Be The Girl Foundation in creating sustainable change 🙌 Thank you, Sarah, for joining us! #GenderEquality #WomenEmpowerment #BeTheGirlFoundation #Leadership #Inspiration #EmpowerGirls #SocialDevelopment #SustainableChange

From Film to Foundation: The Vision of Cornelia Gantner "It’s meant to help us appreciate more this privilege of self-determination, which for us is almost a given but isn’t for many people." – Cornelia Gantner, Founder of the Be That Girl Foundation Before founding the Be That Girl Foundation, Cornelia Gantner directed the film 'That Girl'. The film served as a powerful catalyst for the foundation’s mission: to champion self-determination and empowerment for women worldwide. This reflection was shared during the Swiss Foundations Symposium 2024, where Cornelia and Saraja Gantner were interviewed by Kurt Aeschbacher, providing a profound look into the inspiration and vision that continue to drive the foundation’s work.

We are thrilled to share our latest interview with José Carbajo, one of our incredible Senior Advisors. With a career that spans some of the most pivotal moments in history, José has been at the forefront of transformative change—from Spain’s transition to democracy after Franco’s dictatorship to the economic revival of Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. As a Senior Advisor to the Be That Girl Foundation, José brings a deep well of expertise from his impactful work at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and The World Bank. In our conversation, he shared his remarkable journey, the core values that drive his work, and his passionate belief in empowering young girls and women through education and opportunity. Thank you, José, for sharing your time and insights with us!

🎥 New on our YouTube Channel! 🎥 We’re excited to share the inspiring interview from the Swiss Foundations Symposium 2024, featuring Cornelia and Saraja Cornelia Gantner in conversation with Kurt Aeschbacher. ✨ Highlights from the discussion: 👉 Empowering Women for Self-Determined Lives: Cornelia emphasized the importance of giving women the freedom to make their own choices, unlocking their potential and transforming communities. 👉 Inspiring Role Models: Be That Girl connects young women with mentors, helping them dream bigger and envision brighter futures. 👉 Sustainable Change: The foundation works hand-in-hand with local NGOs to create lasting impact from within communities. 💡 Learn more about Be That Girl’s incredible work and their vision for a more equitable future in this insightful interview. 📺 Watch the full video now!

🌟 Educated Women Transform Communities: Nasilele’s Journey 🌟 With the support of CAMFED - Campaign for Female Education and BeThatGirl, young women like Nasilele are transforming their lives—and the lives of those around them. From school to mentorship, she’s now a leader in her community, guiding vulnerable students and providing essentials like school shoes. Earning a globally recognized Business & Technology qualification, Nasilele didn’t stop there. She launched a thriving dried fish business, proving that independence and success are within reach for every woman. 🐟✨ Her vision? A sisterhood where every member thrives. And with your support, we’re making it happen. Here’s to Nasilele and all the unstoppable women leading the way! 💪❤️ Like and share to show your support #BeThatGirl #CAMFED #WomenLeadingChange #EducationMatters #BuildingFutures

Be That Girl is hiring! We are looking for a visionary leader based in Zambia or Kenya who will oversee the foundation's portfolio in Sub-Saharan Africa and drive its growth and strategy on the continent, to reach many more thousands of girls and women in the coming years. Help us spread the word in your network to find a fantastic person for BTG!

Be That Girl is hiring! We are looking for a visionary leader based in Zambia or Kenya who will oversee the foundation's portfolio in Sub-Saharan Africa and drive its growth and strategy on the continent, to reach many more thousands of girls and women in the coming years.

The Be That Girl Program by Mothers Without Borders supports young women like Bella by covering school fees and supplies for secondary and tertiary education. Participants receive mentorship focused on academics, leadership, life skills, and building self-determined lives. Bella, the youngest of seven from a village near Lusaka, saw her family’s livelihood collapse after a cattle disease in 2015. Despite graduating high school with excellent grades and being accepted to Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, her family couldn’t afford tuition. They sold their larger maize field, allowing her to start school, but by her second year, financial challenges reappeared. Bella thought about dropping out to help her family farm until her mentor encouraged her to apply for Be That Girl. With the program’s support, Bella stayed in school. “My dream of becoming a forensic scientist fuels my determination... If Be That Girl hadn’t stepped in, my story would have been different. My parents were beginning to suggest marriage, like so many girls in my village,” she shared. Today, Bella keeps pushing toward her dream, a testament to resilience and the power of support. At Be That Girl, we’re committed to empowering young women to create their own futures and rewrite their stories. #BeThatGirl #MothersWithoutBorders #WomenEmpowerment #SupportEducation 

In the coming months, we’re dedicating more time to YouTube, building a platform that encourages and supports women in leading self-determined lives. We’re excited to now share on YouTube the inspiring speech our CEO, Ottavia Pesce, delivered during her visit to Andiamo Campus in Bakala, Malawi—a message we first published here. 📍 “If I had to say who my heroes are, I would say it’s you.” During her visit, Ottavia shared a heartfelt message, recognizing the resilience, talent, and courage she saw firsthand. Our thoughts are with the students—thank you for inspiring us every day to keep empowering women to live self-determined lives. 💫