A Mentor’s Joy: Watching a Leader Bloom in Our GLOW Club

As a mentor with the Rukmini Foundation, my greatest reward is seeing the quiet moments of transformation in our girls. I get to witness the exact instant when a young bahini realizes the power of her own voice. Last week at our Shikharapur G.L.O.W. Club, I watched one of those beautiful moments unfold, led by one of our own.

I watched with immense pride as Aahana, a dedicated member of our Girls Advocacy Committee, stepped forward to lead a session on Digital Wellness for her peers. We have been working closely through our Master Trainer Program, and seeing her take the reins with such clarity and confidence was a testament to her hard work. This is the goal of our club: not just to teach, but to empower girls to teach each other.

The session began with the joyful energy that fills our library—a welcome song, and an energetic game of “Fire in the Mountain” that filled the room with laughter. During our Girl Talk Box activity, a thoughtful question emerged: “Why are girls not allowed to walk at night?” It was a powerful lead-in, connecting the physical world’s safety concerns to the digital one we were about to explore.

When Aahana posed the question, “What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘Digital World’?” the answers were familiar: mobile phones, TikTok, WhatsApp. But when she asked about digital safety, a thoughtful silence fell. It was clear this was a needed conversation. With gentle authority, she introduced the concept of Digital Wellness—the practice of maintaining a safe, healthy, and balanced relationship with technology.

She guided the group through crucial topics:

• The importance of personal safety online, from strong passwords to recognizing fake accounts.

• How our mental health is connected to the time we spend online and the comparisons we make.

• Practical time management to ensure technology supports, rather than hinders, their studies.

• How to identify and prevent cybercrimes like bullying and harassment.

• The long-term importance of a positive digital footprint.

The most powerful moment for me, however, came from the participants. Listening to Ichhya Tamang share that she would take this new knowledge home to her mother, to teach her about mobile banking safety, was everything we hope for. It showed that the learning was not just for them, but would ripple out into their families and communities.

As we concluded with a group lunch and the girls chatted animatedly, I saw the real success of the day. It wasn’t just in the information shared, but in the confidence gained—both in Aahana as a leader, and in her peers as informed, responsible digital citizens. They left not just aware of the risks, but empowered with the tools to navigate their digital worlds safely and confidently. Days like this remind me why we do this work.