MANILA, Philippines – The Samahan ng mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at Kaunlaran (SPARK) Philippines launched a platform for pledging money to initiatives geared towards women and girls’ empowerment.

The website, called Invest in Her, was introduced to partners and the media in a partnership luncheon on Thursday, October 10, in Quezon City.

Existing projects that donors can pledge to include teenage pregnancy and mental health seminars, a mobile clinic, capacity-building workshops, sports clubs, and a livelihood project. SPARK hopes to add more to the list.

Invest in Her aims to highlight the significance of social, economic, and political investment in empowering adolescent girls through barriers of poverty, violence, and discrimination.

Quezon City Councilor Mayen Juico mentioned several initiatives in the city that are included in the pledge site, such as the Batang Ina Seminar for seeking out the needs of teenage mothers in Barangay Del Monte. After one successful session, they hope to conduct more with help from the pledges.

Another initiative in Quezon City is a fencing program that helps give way to scholarship opportunities. At present, Juico said, some girls have to share their gear, sometimes one match after the other.

Athlete Meggie Ochoa spoke about Fight to Protect, a movement she founded which aims to raise awareness of child sexual violence through jiu-jitsu.

Ochoa said that as a sport, jiu-jitsu requires more technique over strength and power, enabling girls to believe in their potential no matter how mentally or physically small they feel.

“We use the word ‘invest’ because all resources put towards the empowerment of girls return to society when they grow into strong and determined women,” said SPARK Executive Director Maica Teves.

The launch of Invest in Her precedes the celebration of the International Day of the Girl on Friday, October 11, in Quezon City. The event will tackle needs and issues faced by girls around the world that hinder the realization of their full potential. – Rappler.com