She's 17. She's sitting in a classroom somewhere in Lebanon. She's brilliant at mathematics, curious about technology, fascinated by science. But she has never met a woman who works in STEM. She's never walked into a technology company. Never been given a real problem and told, solve it. So how is Maya supposed to imagine herself there?

I've spent four years running corporate events and Rotaract projects, learning to move fast, adapt on instinct, and get things done. But what this program taught me was something deeper: that leadership isn't just about delivering a project. It's about understanding the people you're building it for, creating space for their voices, and designing something strong enough to survive the reality they're living in.

It taught me to lead with structure, but also with empathy. To understand that trauma, healing, and peacebuilding aren't separate from the work we do. They shape how we build, who we build for, and what kind of future we're trying to create. We didn't want to simply tell girls that STEM is their future. We wanted to put that future in front of them.

In 2023, we opened the doors for our first edition. Then, in 2024, we did it again, despite a war that made families afraid to send their daughters anywhere. Across two editions, in partnership with AUF, we brought together more than 150 girls from 17+ schools over two consecutive days, with 15+ facilitators at BDD. That matters because it proves something very simple: The demand is there. The girls are there. And the model works. Somewhere in Lebanon, she's already brilliant. The problem isn't her potential. It's whether she gets the chance to discover it. This year, we're changing the question. Because Potential is everywhere. Access isn't.

The first two editions gave girls knowledge, exposure, mentorship, and something just as important: a glimpse of what might be possible. Edition three is about making that possibility real. Tangible. And this is where the project goes beyond STEM. We bring girls from different schools, communities, and backgrounds into the same room. We give them the tools to think critically, collaborate across differences, solve problems together, and see themselves as contributors to Lebanon's future. That's peacebuilding in practice.

Education. Inclusion. Collaboration. Opportunity. And this year, we're taking the next step. Day one will build on what we've done in previous editions, with 10+ STEM topics, while expanding their exposure to fields they may never have encountered before, including PeaceTech. It's designed for students in Grades 10, 11, and 12, giving them the knowledge, exposure, and perspectives they need to start thinking seriously about what comes next. But for our Terminale girls on Day 2, we wanted to go one step further. So we're moving from learning to doing.

Three to five sponsoring companies will bring real-world problems connected to their work and communities. The girls will form teams, choose a case, and have three hours to build a solution. The winning teams don't just receive a certificate. They earn an internship with the company whose problem they solved. Because for a 17-year-old young lady, "You could become an engineer" is merely inspiration. "Here's your first opportunity to become one" is impact. And that is where we need you.

We need Implementation Partners who will bring the real-world challenge and open the door to that first professional experience. We need Community Partners who can help us create the space and resources these girls need. And we need Access Partners who can fund transportation, because talent should not be determined by whether a girl can afford the trip to the room where her future begins. For now, we’re in the process of renewing our partnership with AUF and getting the approval from the Ministry of Education. We've already proven this works twice. Now you can help us prove what happens when we take it national.

MEAL is embedded at every step, measuring what girls learn, how their confidence shifts, and what happens after the program. We use that evidence to continuously improve the program and turn participant experiences into measurable impact. When a company gives a girl her first real opportunity, that’s the moment she walks into an internship and thinks, "I belong here."

That's the power of Imagine Girls. We imagined this three years ago. And we've reached 150 girls. Now it’s your turn to Imagine Girls. Imagine 500. Imagine 1,000. Imagine more. Imagine her future. Then help us build it.