Sejal Hathi, 16, California
Girls Helping Girls
Sejal Hathi
Ever think about the lives of teens who live half-way around the world? Sejal Hathi does, and she believes that cultural exchange equals social change. She created Girls Helping Girls, an organization that connects girls around the globe to work together to improve their communities--and the world.
Сultural exchange, travel and improve communities
There are many benefits to cultural exchange, travel and improving communities. By interacting with people of other cultures, we can learn new customs and traditions. We can also gain a better understanding of other peoples' views and beliefs. Travelling allows us to see the world from a different perspective. It also helps us to develop new skills and learn about new places. Improving communities can have a positive impact on the people who live in them. It can help to create a sense of community spirit and encourage people to work together for the common good.
How travel unites and helps in personal development
There are many reasons why travel can unify and help personal development. First and foremost, travel provides a unique perspective that can be life-changing. Seeing new cultures, landscapes, and ways of life can broaden your horizons and give you a new perspective on your own life. Travel also provides opportunities for growth and self-discovery. By facing new challenges and hardships while traveling, you can learn more about yourself and grow as a person. Travel can also build relationships and create memories that will last a lifetime. By sharing new experiences and memories with friends and family, you create strong bonds and connections that can never be replaced. Ultimately, travel can help unify and improve personal development by providing new perspectives, opportunities for growth, and lasting relationships.
We support each other in the organization, and often we can travel to get to know each other and improve relationships. In order to feel comfortable and safe we use reliable hotels.
Fashion Boutique Hotel Miami Beach
Looking for a fashionable place to stay in Miami Beach? Look no further than the Fashion Boutique Hotel! This hotel is the perfect place for those who want to be in the heart of all the action. Located just a few blocks from the world-famous Ocean Drive and the Art Deco District, guests of the Fashion Boutique Hotel are never far from the best that Miami Beach has to offer. The hotel is housed in a beautiful Art Deco building that has been lovingly restored to its former glory. Inside, guests will find a stylish and contemporary design that perfectly reflects the vibrant atmosphere of Miami Beach. Rooms come equipped with all the modern amenities you would expect, including cable TV, mini-bar, and in-room safe. The hotel also features a number of excellent on-site facilities, including a heated swimming pool, poolside bar, and fitness center. There is also a business center on site, perfect for those who need to get some work done while on vacation.
Stayable Select Gainesville
If you are traveling to Gainesville, Florida and are looking for a place to stay, I would highly recommend the Hotel Stayable Select Gainesville. It is a small, family-owned hotel located right in the heart of downtown Gainesville. The Hotel Stayable is within walking distance of all the best restaurants and bars in town, and the University of Florida campus is less than a mile away. The Hotel Stayable offers a variety of room types, from single rooms to three-bedroom suites. All of the rooms are clean and comfortable, and come with free Wi-Fi and cable TV. The hotel also has a small fitness center, and a complimentary breakfast is included in the price of your stay. Overall, I was very pleased with my experience at the Hotel Stayable. The hotel staff were friendly and helpful, and the rooms were clean and comfortable. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to Gainesville.
Teen Voices&Sejal Hathi
Teen Voices: How did you first get involved in activism?
Sejal Hathi: I have been interested in change initiatives ever since I was a little girl. My involvement with a non-profit organization called Girls For A Change really taught me that any girl, however disadvantaged, can leverage her inner power to make a difference. With Girls For A Change, I raised funds and awareness for the women and children victims of the Darfur genocide. My encounter with some of the girls and women we aided showed me that millions of girls in developing countries don’t have the knowledge, resources, or confidence to reach their full potential. That’s when I decided to create an organization that would bring girls together to solve major global issues. If women, who represent about 50% of the world population, are not involved in the creation of a better humanity, it will never happen. That’s why I created Girls Helping Girls (GHG).
TV: What does GHG do?
Sejal: GHG is an international non-profit organization that seeks to empower girls around the world to transform their communities. We have four main goals: eradicate poverty, increase access to education, improve health, and promote peace. Our primary initiative is called Empower-a-Girl, which is a grassroots sister-team program that partners girls in the United States with girls in developing countries. The teams work together to achieve those four goals by dialoguing about their lifestyles, supporting one another in fostering self-esteem, and creating social change projects.
TV: What role does education play in your program?
Sejal: We encourage girls to identify and learn about problems that affect both their local communities and their global sister communities. The girls then complete activities—anything from writing a letter to a local government official to creating a photo collage about poverty. The girls communicate by sending the activities between each other, thereby learning about their different lifestyles and the issues that affect them.
TV: How many girls are involved in GHG and where are they from?
Sejal: All together, almost 1,000 girls are involved in our initiatives. A lot of our sites are based in African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa. We also work with girls in Sri Lanka and India, and we’re looking to expand into Jamaica and Turkey.
TV: Why do you think it’s important for girls in different countries to work together?
Sejal: The first step toward achieving peace in the world is understanding it [the world]. That’s the core principle behind having girls in different countries dialogue about their lifestyles and the issues that affect them. It’s really important for girls, especially, to connect because oftentimes they’re the most marginalized population. It’s important that girls realize that and collaborate despite cultural boundaries.
TV: What has been one of your biggest achievements or proudest moments with GHG?
Sejal: I don’t know if I have one favorite project. I’m most proud of the number of girls we’ve empowered and inspired to work together.
TV: Are there any adults involved in the organization?
Sejal: No. It is completely run by girls. I have some adult mentors who help me when I have questions or need to resolve team issues, but in terms of running the organization and implementing its programs, it’s all done by girls.
TV: Are other teens supportive of what you do?
Sejal: They are very supportive actually. Teens realize that they can make a difference, that they have the potential within themselves to be leaders.
TV: What is the most important thing you would like teens to know about the difference they can make on a global scale?
Sejal: Simply that they should find their passion and transform that passion into action. Once they do, the possibilities are infinite.
TV: Tell us a little bit about yourself: Where are you from? What do you do for fun?
Sejal: I’m a sixteen-year-old high school student from San Jose, California. I’m an only child but I have a dog. I love to dance in my free time. I’ve been dancing since I was six years old. I also love reading, writing, and playing the alto saxophone. I’m a normal teen; I’m just really passionate about social justice.
TV: What do you think your future holds? Will you continue this work after high school?
Sejal: I will continue my involvement in GHG and other non-profits, but I want to pursue a career in medicine. I hope to help increase people’s access to health care, and ameliorate the HIV/AIDS crisis, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. I hope whatever career I pursue, I will always be involved in social justice because it’s really more of a mindset and attitude rather than a specific activity.
To learn more about how you can get involved in Girls Helping Girls initiatives, visit www.empoweragirl.org.
Past Activists
of the Month
November 2005:
Stephanie Nyombaire
December 2005:
Kaley Rosinski
January 2006:
Kyla Carpenter & Erika Chase
March 2006:
Shelby Knox
April 2006:
Cisnell Baez & Ashley Cotton
May 2006:
Makalay Tarawally
June 2006:
Becky Marks
July 2006:
Geneva Johnson
August 2006:
Rachel Powell
September 2006:
Liz Funk
October 2006:
May Lan Dong
November 2006:
Karoline Evin McMullen
December 2006:
Maggie Astor
January 2007:
E. Jane Handel
February 2007:
Ana Slavin
March 2007:
Shaina Patel
April 2007:
Amity Paye
May 2007:
Evelyn Eng-Nol
June 2007:
Ava Lowery
July 2007:
Chela Élan Counts
August 2007:
Alexandra Pates
September 2007:
Alexandra Abend
October 2007:
Desiree Tienturier
November 2007:
Heather Wilder
February 2008:
Brittany Robinson-Perez
March 2008:
Kristina Coia
April 2008:
Chanelle Adams
May 2008:
Mikailah Padawer
June 2008:
Iman Belali
July 2008:
Alina Sibomana
Are you a teen activist or do you know any teen activists? Contact Teen Voices and share your story.
Back to TOP
Share this page with a friend
Send in your thoughts about this topic
This web site is maintained by
LKR design.
The Publisher — Women Express, Inc.
P.O. Box 120-027
Boston, MA 02112-0027
1-888-882-TEEN
© Copyright 2007 Teen Voices/Women Express, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.
The only magazine by, for, and about teenage and young adult women.