Growing up, understanding my potential and who I was came through physical pursuits.
I've always believed that, in the right circumstances, sport and adventure are perfect tools for developing self-confidence and mental strength.
So when I had my daughter, Olive, I wanted the same things for her: to develop her confidence and strengths by taking risks and trying new things.
I wanted to provide her with the environment where she could fall and fail, because I believe it is only through our experiences – and most importantly, our mistakes – that we change and grow.
And this is where the seed for SisuGirls began to take hold.
'Sisu' is a Finnish word meaning determination, bravery and resilience.
Every stage in my life has, in its own way, played a part in my journey towards starting SisuGirls.
From being the only girl on a cricket team, to working to empower women, to raising my daughter, each of these life experiences have helped to cement my dream to have a positive and lasting impact on women and girls.
Over time, the vision for SisuGirls has evolved into the creation of a safe, supportive and inspiring community – online and in person – for girls to develop the self-confidence and determination to pursue their chosen passions and potential.
To provide the opportunities and support for girls to figure out who they are and who they want to be. To give girls the confidence to make confident decisions.
I also wanted to make Olive aware of the vast number of women who are not following conventional paths.
To inspire her through the women who challenge themselves and discover who they are and what they want from their life journey.
This too, is part of the SisuGirls philosophy: it's not about competition, boys versus girls, or winning; it is about developing and nurturing 'sisu' in girls, so they develop the determination, bravery and resilience to walk their chosen path confidently.
SisuGirls contributes a portion of its earnings to partners empowering girls in other countries. Every girl who signs up for a SisuGirls programme in Singapore offers a similar opportunity for adventure-based learning to a girl living in a place like Cambodia, working with partners such as Skateistan.
Join the SisuGirls movement here.
