The 2018 Asian Girls Power Camp wrapped up in Taichung City, Taiwan today, with presentations from the 40 girls who took part.

“Everyone has to be brave to be who they are,” said Yi-Ching from Taiwan, “We can’t change our past but we can change our future and make our life better.” Dipisha from Nepal said, “Every parent should provide equal love and care to their children.”

Organized by the Garden of Hope Foundation (GOH) in partnership with the Taiwan INGO Center and Asia University, and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taichung City Government, the four-day camp provided intensive training on gender issues including the differences between males and females, body image, body boundaries and gender-based violence.

Tianne from Hong Kong said, “The camp really opened my mind to the gender issues, but the most important thing I learned is meeting and making friends with girls from other countries. I think this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The girls came from Taiwan, and ten other Asian countries including Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Aged 13-20, they included activists, survivors of gender-based violence, and socially conscious school girls.

The camp included tours of the 921 Earthquake Museum, the INGO Center and Asia University Museum of Modern Art. Inspiring speakers from academia, sports and business taught the girls about local history, and shared their personal stories of how they overcame gender stereotypes in their lives and careers.

GOH CEO Chi Hui-Jung said the Asian Power Camp helped empower girls to their potential. “The event allows girls from across the region to share with and encourage each other,” Chi said.

Former Asian Girl Award winner Bipana Sharma from Nepal said, “I believe in a bottom-top approach, and think global but act local. So I’ve started working in my village and making it a girl-friendly city. Doing that I found every girl is unique in herself, we just have to help them reach their full potential and help them chase their dream. What I want to share with Asian girls is that when we are empowered, we empower.”

At the opening press conference on Friday at the INGO Center, Taichung City Mayor Lin Chia-lung echoed the call to make Taichung City a “girl-friendly city”, adding that the INGO Center in Wufeng was delighted to be working together with GOH. He added that the Power Camp would help girls discover themselves.