5 September 2026 – Malunda, Majene Regency — Misrawati confidently delivered a speech on the importance of education in front of teachers, parents, and her peers. Mutia proudly shared the stories of local women who fought for Indonesia’s independence, while Isna enthusiastically reflected on her experiences and key takeaways from participating in the Girl Empowerment Program. They were three of the 18 students from SMPN 7 Satu Atap Malunda, Majene Regency, who performed and presented their work during the Graduation and Exhibition of the Girl Empowerment Program.

One of the student’s performance during the Graduation Showcase

After a year of learning various personal development topics, including public speaking, vision boarding, digital literacy, financial literacy, critical thinking, and more, the 18 Girl Empowerment Program participants presented the work they had created throughout the program. The exhibition featured each participant’s Vision Board, digital comics and posters designed using Canva, as well as several worksheets completed during the program. In addition to displaying their work, each participant was also given the opportunity to step forward and speak in front of an audience as part of their public speaking development.

Each student had the opportunity to demonstrate their public speaking

The event was opened by the Principal of SMPN 7 Satu Atap Malunda, who expressed her gratitude and appreciation.

“I am very grateful to Taman Bacaan Pelangi for choosing our school as a partner for the Girl Empowerment Program. The program has greatly helped our students explore and recognize their potential, as well as build the confidence to step forward and express themselves,” said Ms. Ida, Principal of SMPN 7 Satu Atap Malunda.

She added,

“This year, for the first time, our school became the overall champion in the middle school Independence Day competition at the sub-district level. We competed against six other middle schools in Malunda Sub-district, and almost all of the Girl Empowerment participants took part in the competitions. Several of them also won awards in different categories, including speech, storytelling, and choir.”

The student is explaining about her vision board

Ms. Warnida, one of the teacher facilitators of the program, shared a similar experience. After supporting the students throughout the year as they learned various personal development topics, she observed significant improvements in their abilities and confidence. Students who had initially been shy about speaking in front of their peers are now much more confident in expressing their opinions and participating in classroom discussions.

The student with her parent during the Graduation Showcase

The Graduation and Exhibition marked the final milestone of the Girl Empowerment Program. Parents of the participants also had the opportunity to see their children’s work and performances, showcasing the personal growth they had achieved throughout the program. The event concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to all participants in recognition of their successful completion of the one-year learning program.