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Girls Gearing Up

@girlsgearingup

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🚀 Developing the next generation of globally-minded female leaders
👭 Matching girls with female mentors
🌱 Building Confidence | Skills | Network

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Since 2015, Girls Gearing Up has been empowering the next generation of female leaders 💪🌍

As we step into a new year, we’re excited to welcome new girls, mentors, and changemakers into the GGU community. We made this video to capture what we’re all about.

With the help of our incredible volunteers, we’ve supported 650+ girls from 50 countries across 6 continents - through our ABURY GGU International Leadership Academies, 1:1 mentoring, and leadership workshops.

🎥 Watch our intro video to see the impact for yourself.

Because when girls lead, change follows.

Give us a 💜 if you are with us!

#girlsgearingup #empowerment #aburyfoundation #girlsleadership #futureleaders by @girlsgearingup

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6 months ago

Meet the founders of Girls Gearing Up: Chineme, Courtney & Christina

In 2015, they turned a powerful belief into action: when girls lead, the world changes.
Together, they created Europe’s first international leadership academy for teen girls and built a global community of confident, purposeful changemakers. 🌍

Got a question for them?
Drop it in the comments! 👇

#GirlsGearingUp #meetthefounders #girlsleadership #youthempowerment #futureleaders #genzleadership by @girlsgearingup

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a year ago

The future feels a little more possible when you meet the people building it. ⭐️

There is still so much to tell about last week… Our ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academy participants in Germany stepped inside Microsoft Berlin for a day of inspiration, mentorship, and unforgettable conversations.

From technology and innovation to leadership and personal growth, our girls heard honest stories from people who are shaping the future every day. They spoke about career pivots, overcoming challenges, embracing opportunities, and finding purpose in the work they do.

And one message echoed throughout every conversation:
There is no single path to success. ✨

Every journey is different. What matters most is staying curious, believing in yourself, and having the courage to take the next step even when you don’t know exactly where it will lead.

A huge thank you to everyone at @microsoftdeutschland Berlin for welcoming us with such warmth & generosity. Thank you for opening your doors, sharing your stories so openly, and reminding our girls that leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about continuing to learn, grow, and lift others along the way. Your time, encouragement, and belief in the next generation made this experience truly unforgettable. ❤️

These are the moments that stay with our girls long after the Academy ends, the conversations that spark confidence, broaden horizons, and help them believe that they, too, belong in the rooms where the future is being built.

💜 Follow along as we continue sharing moments from the 2026 ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academy.

#microsoft #tech #stem #feminism #empowerment taken in Microsoft Berlin by @girlsgearingup

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a day ago

And just like that… the ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academies 2026 have come to an end. 🥹

What an incredible week of growth, courage, new friendships, and unforgettable moments across Germany 🇩🇪 and Malawi 🇲🇼.

The Academy may be over, but the journey is only beginning! ❤️
Our girls are heading home with new confidence, lifelong connections, and Changemaker Action Plans ready to create impact in their communities. 🌍

A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, partners, mentors, volunteers, and everyone who made scholarships possible: 💜 Andreas Gerl Stiftung, quantumR, @design_hotels, @dkb.de, ctrlQS, Rotary Club of Maryville TN, and @bbis_official .
Together, you’re creating opportunities that will have an impact far beyond this one week.

✨ What was your favorite Academy moment? Tell us in the comments, and stay with us as we continue sharing stories, reflections, and the impact that will continue long after the Academy.

#feminism #TheTimeIsNow #GirlEmpowerment #globalsisterhood #leadership by @girlsgearingup

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3 days ago

Sometimes the best memories are made between the workshops...

Last week, our Academy participants in Germany explored Berlin from the water during a boat tour along the River Spree. 🚤

For many of our girls, it was their first time in Berlin, Germany, or even Europe. Seeing the city's famous landmarks, learning about its history, taking photos, laughing, and simply enjoying the moment together made this afternoon truly special.

A huge thank you to @dkb.de for making this unforgettable experience possible. Your generosity gave our girls memories they'll carry with them long after the Academy. 💜

Show DKB some love in the comments for helping create moments like these! 👏

#ABURYGGU #Berlin #boattrip taken in Berlin, Germany by @girlsgearingup

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4 days ago

Snippets from our cultural exchange event 🗺️💜

Last Tuesday at our Berlin academy, all facilitators alongside our wonderful superstar participants, we all gathered around to watch a beautifully diverse night unfold. ✨

We each shared some of our favorite fun and inspiring parts of our cultures through catchy music, hilarious skits, and fun performances! 🤩

We can’t wait to share more with you about this very special night, and all of the other perks & quirks of this year’s phenomenal program! 🌙
So stay tuned… 👀

And in the meantime, tell us in the comments: Which cultures would you represent if you joined our cultural exchange night? 🫣🌍

#GirlPower #Culture #Diversity #CulturalExchange #worldtravel taken in Berlin, Germany by @girlsgearingup

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6 days ago

💜 DAY 7 → Time to Lead ✨

The last full day of the ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academy is always one of the most emotional.

Today was about bringing everything together.

Across our Academies in Germany and Malawi, the girls finalized their Changemaker Action Plans, practiced pitching the issues they care about most, reflected on the week, and celebrated just how far they’ve come.

There were heartfelt conversations, letters to their future selves, certificates, laughter, tears... and, of course, our legendary Anything Goes Show, where confidence, creativity, and friendship took center stage. 🎉

For our participants from Morocco, today also meant saying goodbye a little earlier as they began their journey home. It was a reminder that while the Academy lasts only one week, the friendships, memories, and lessons will stay for much longer. ❤️

A special thank you to Georgina Rigden, who challenged our participants to think bigger and helped them strengthen their Changemaker Action Plans, and to our incredible hosts @bbis_official in Germany and @kamuzu_academy in Malawi for creating spaces where young leaders can truly grow. 💜

Tomorrow, suitcases will be packed, hugs will be a little longer, and our girls will return home, not just with memories, but with new confidence, lifelong friendships, and the courage to lead change in their communities.

✨ What has been your favorite Academy moment this week? We’d love to hear it in the comments.

#LeadershipAcademy #GirlEmpowerment #TheTimeIsNow #Changemakers #GlobalSisterhood

Since it’s our last day together, we decided to write some nice words to remember each other through. ❤️✨

We love being analog & sentimental. 🫣

Then we had a workshop about how to make a solid and doable plan that leads to positive change! 😆✨

Can you believe it’s already time for our girls to receive their certificates? 🥹💖
We’re in awe, and sooooo proud of all of them! 💜

Our Malawi girls receiving their certificates too! 🤭💕

Then we gathered around for our “Anything Goes Show”
A space where truly, ANYTHING GOES! 😍💫

We had some beautiful musical performances… 🎤 🎶

And we also had some fun & silly dances 😂❤️ by @girlsgearingup

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8 days ago

We decided to spread the word on our ABURY Girls Gearing Up Leadership Academy, and that’s how we did it… 👀✨

We thought why not take advantage of the already so bright & brilliant sticker scene in Berlin? 🇩🇪

Now tell us in the comments: what would you do to spread the word on a cause you believe in? 🫣

@abury_foundation ❤️

#feminism #leadership #girlpower #berlin #education taken in Berlin, Germany by @girlsgearingup

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8 days ago

💜 DAY 6 → Time to Grow

Leadership doesn’t only grow in the classroom. Sometimes it grows by stepping into new places, meeting inspiring people, and seeing new possibilities for your future. Today was all about exactly that.

In Germany, our participants visited Google and Microsoft, where they got an inspiring behind-the-scenes look into two of the world’s leading companies. They explored different career paths, met incredible women working in fields from public affairs to data science, asked honest questions, and discovered that there is no single path to success.

One of the highlights of the day was a sightseeing boat tour through Berlin. The girls enjoyed seeing the city from the River Spree, taking lots of photos, and simply soaking up the experience together. For many of them, it was their first time visiting Berlin, Germany, or even Europe, making this a truly unforgettable memory.

A big thank you to our partner DKB, who generously sponsored the boat tour and made this special experience possible. 💜

Afterwards, the girls headed to Kiezlab, where they learned the basics of project management and continued developing their Changemaker Action Plans, turning their ideas into concrete projects that they can bring back to their communities.

In Malawi, participants headed to Luwawa Forest Lodge, where the beautiful natural surroundings became a classroom of their own. Surrounded by forests and mountains, they spent the day exploring, connecting with nature, and growing together beyond the walls of the Academy.

Every experience this week reminds us that leadership can be learned everywhere: in companies, in nature, in conversations, and in the courage to try something new.

A huge thank you to Google, Microsoft, DKB, Kiezlab, and Luwawa Forest Lodge for opening your doors and creating unforgettable learning experiences for our girls. 💜

✨ Which place would you have chosen to visit: Google, Microsoft, or a day surrounded by nature? Tell us in the comments!

#girlpower #empowerment #womensrights #girlsruntheworld #leadership

Visiting @googlede offices in 📍Berlin

Visiting @microsoftdeutschland offices in 📍Berlin

And later, we showed our girls the cowo by @girlsgearingup

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9 days ago

⭐️ Yesterday was one of the most powerful moments of our ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academy.

Our Mega Mentoring Day is all about meaningful one-on-one conversations.

Yesterday, almost 50 mentors from across Germany each spent over an hour with one of our 52 Academy participants, talking about dreams, leadership, courage, careers, setbacks, and everything in between.

The result? Honest conversations. Real connections. New confidence.

Afterwards, every girl stepped onto the stage to share the biggest lesson she was taking home.

❤️ ”Don’t be afraid to ask.”

❤️ ”Your future is yours to create.”

❤️ ”Be resilient.”

❤️ ”Do what you love.”

There wasn’t a dry eye in the amphitheater.

Because mentoring isn’t about giving someone all the answers. It’s about helping them believe they can find their own.

A huge thank you to every mentor who shared your time, experience, and heart with our girls. 🤍 You made this day unforgettable.

If you were one of our mentors, we’d love for you to leave a ❤️, comment, or share this post so we can celebrate this incredible community together.

#Mentoring #GirlEmpowerment #TheTimeIsNow #GlobalSisterhood #girlpower by @girlsgearingup

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9 days ago

💜 DAY 5 → Time for Inspiration ✨

Some conversations stay with you forever.

Today was one of the most anticipated days of the ABURY Girls Gearing Up Academy: Mentoring Day.

Across our Academies in Germany and Malawi, participants connected with inspiring women who generously shared their stories, experiences, and advice, reminding every girl that her dreams are valid and her voice matters.

🇩🇪 In Germany, we hosted our signature Mega Mentoring Event, one of the most impactful moments of the Academy. Nearly 50 mentors came together to mentor 52 girls in meaningful one-on-one conversations.
For over an hour, each mentor and mentee had the opportunity to connect, exchange experiences, ask honest questions, and talk about leadership, careers, challenges, and dreams. Afterwards, the girls took to the stage to share the biggest takeaway from their conversation, filling the room with powerful reflections, gratitude, and inspiration. We will definitely report more about this powerful afternoon, so stay tuned… 👀✨

🇲🇼 In Malawi, participants had the opportunity to learn from Power Mentor Chikondi Mkawa, whose story inspired the girls to believe in themselves and the impact they can create.

Earlier in the day, our participants also explored new perspectives through inspiring workshops led by @jazzygabert , Dr. Sonja Busch, and Esther Watorowski, covering topics from confidence and wellbeing to communication and leadership.

A heartfelt thank you to every mentor, speaker, and volunteer who shared their time, wisdom, and encouragement with our girls today. 💜 Leave a like or a comment, if you were involved today that everybody can be proud and grateful that you support the next generation 👇

#LeadershipAcademy #Mentoring #TheTimeIsNow #GirlEmpowerment #globalsisterhood

We went into the forest and made statues with rocks & leaves! 🍁 🪨

Then we had a workshop on Non-violent communication ☮️🙌

✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼

MEGA MENTORING AFTERNOON!! 😍
What a day 🥹💜

we loooove to dance 🫣❤️

Power mentor session in our 📍Malawi

🏀🏀🏀

Music jam session 🎶 🎸 by @girlsgearingup

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10 days ago

DAY 4 → Time for Diversity 🌍

Today was all about exploring different perspectives, celebrating what makes each of us unique, and discovering how diversity makes us stronger.

Across both our Academies in Germany and Malawi, participants reflected on leadership, identity, power, and belonging through interactive workshops, meaningful conversations, and outdoor activities.

✨ They explored topics like:

💜 Leadership & Power

🌍 Unique Identities & Diverse Perspectives

💡 Challenge Thinking – learning new tools to turn ideas into action

🤝 The first steps toward their own Changemaker Action Plans

A special thank you to Georgina Rigden for introducing our participants to Challenge Thinking and helping them develop new ways of approaching the challenges they want to solve in their communities.

As the day came to an end, the girls celebrated one of the Academy’s most joyful traditions: our Cultural Exchange Celebration. Through music, dance, food, traditions, and stories, they shared pieces of their cultures and discovered just how much they have in common despite coming from different corners of the world. We will share special moments of this event separately, so stay tuned ;)

Tomorrow, the journey continues as ideas begin turning into action. 🚀

#TheTimeIsNow #Changemakers #GlobalSisterhood #Leadership #Diversity

Started our day with a little Yoga session 🧘‍♀️

Then we talked about power #PowerToTheChair 🪑

Hands at work… ✍🏼

The final results! 💐

Presenting our flowers 🌺

Non-verbal communication & active listening workshop for our Peer Leaders. 🙌

Fun fact : an ABURY Girls Gearing Up peer leader is a returning participant! 💜

We all gathered around in a big crowd to watch the Cultural Exchange unfold 🗺️

Some snippets from the night (Stay tuned for more 👀…)

dancy dances 💃🪩 by @girlsgearingup

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11 days ago