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Featured Actionist:
Sejal Hathi
Sejal Hathi is anything but your typical
16-year-old high school student.
The highly accomplished San Jose, CA
native has dedicated herself to bringing about social change as the founder
of the
international non-profit organization
Girls Helping Girls, which helps girls like herself overcome obstacles to become
strong, empowered women.
When at age 15 Sejal was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, she began treatment with a therapist and subscribed to online eating disorder help networks to learn more about the disease. She was shocked to find how many girls all over the world were suffering from eating disorders, and how their problems seemed to be rooted in a universal lack of self-esteem. She quickly came to the realization that “society has created a culture in which thousands of girls are falling prey to eating disorders every year simply because they do not have the self-worth and mutual respect to appreciate all girls as unique gifts.”
She founded Girls Helping Girls to break barriers by partnering girls in the United States with girls in developing countries to jointly identify problems in their communities and work together to create solutions.
By opening lines of communication, the program encourages girls to support each other, and to work together to demand social change and create a more accepting world. Sejal hopes that by providing girls with a place to find their voices they will be empowered to reach their full potential.
She says “My growing understanding and awareness and the internal battle that
so demoralized me galvanized me to dedicate myself to building a movement which would show girls that they have
a powerful voice, and that would empower them to believe
in themselves and embrace all girls as beautiful treasures.”
The mission of Girls Helping Girls is to build
a global girl culture consciously collaborating to make a difference. They strive not only
to bridge international cultures but, more profoundly, to channel the power harvested from the girls' collaborative service projects to eradicate poverty, increase access to education, improve health,
and,
most importantly, promote Peace.
Sejal is currently writing her second book, which will include guidance and stories to inspire girls to transform their condition and realize their power and beauty within.
To lean more, visit Empoweragirl.org
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