Six Girl Empowerment Activities

Girl Empowerment Activities

Six Ways to Build Confidence and Leadership

Every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, dream, and lead. Around the world, Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program incorporates empowerment activities to help students develop the skills and confidence they need to shape their own futures and inspire others along the way.

We've seen first-hand how empowerment activities, when paired with life skills classes, mentorship and peer support, and community engagement, help girls in our program learn to think critically and become leaders in their schools and communities. Whether you’re an educator, mentor or parent, the following girl empowerment activities can spark similar growth and agency in the girls you support.

1. Goal Setting Vision Boards

Goal setting is an activity that promotes self-reflection and planning, which are key life skills taught in our Girls’ Education Program.

Encourage girls to imagine their future by creating a vision board filled with images, quotes and words that represent their goals. After completing their boards, invite participants to share one goal and identify the first step toward achieving it.

2. Empowerment Journals

Journaling is a powerful tool for building confidence and self-awareness.

Invite girls to keep a weekly journal with prompts such as:

• “A moment I felt proud of myself”
• “Advice I’d give my younger self.”
• "Someone who inspires me and why"

Journaling can help girls process emotions, recognize achievements and find their voice. In Room to Read’s life skills classes, journaling encourages reflection and recognition of their personal growth over time — vital foundations for leadership and resilience.

3. Story Circles

Story circles create safe spaces for girls to express themselves and connect with others.

In Room to Read’s life skills sessions, girls often practice self-expression and confidence through storytelling. In a “story circle,” each participant shares a personal story about a challenge they have overcome or a dream they have. Listening to one another builds empathy, communication skills and community.

4. Role-Model Interviews

Connecting with role models helps girls see real-world examples of leadership.

Have girls identify women they admire in their community such as teachers, health workers or entrepreneurs, and interview them about their journeys. In Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program, interviewing role models helps students understand how education and perseverance opened new doors for them. This activity helps girls imagine possibilities beyond traditional expectations and encourages goal setting through relatable stories.

5. Financial Literacy Simulations

In Room to Read’s Girls Education Program, financial literacy is crucial.

Provide hypothetical incomes and expenses and ask girls to create a monthly budget. This simple exercise builds financial decision-making skills and demonstrates how economic empowerment can influence future independence.

6. Resilience Reflections

Resilience is one of the most important skills a girl can develop.

Ask girls to write about a time they faced a setback and how they overcame it. Then, in pairs, they can discuss what helped them persist. In many of the communities where Room to Read works, girls encounter significant social or economic pressure to leave school early. Learning to reflect on challenges and celebrate persistence helps them build the skills they need to stay in school and reach their goals.

Why Girl Empowerment Activities Matter

Each activity represents a small but powerful step toward a more gender-equal world. When girls gain key life skills, the impact extends far beyond the classroom. Research shows that when girls are educated and empowered:

• They marry later and have healthier families.
• They earn higher incomes and reinvest in their communities.
• Ensure their own children gain an education.

Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program integrates many of these same empowerment activities into a structured curriculum around the world. We partner with schools and local mentors to ensure that girls not only attend school — but thrive there.