The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead
- Break Through
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
By Bodalin Heng
A few seconds before I stepped onto the red dot at TEDx Phnom Penh, everything went quiet.
The hall. The spotlights. Even my thoughts.
I took a deep breath, looked up — and spoke.
In that silence, I met the girl I used to be — the one who always followed the rules, who lowered her eyes, who believed her voice was too small to matter.
That moment — breaking silence, daring to speak for all the girls who were told to “sit properly” or “stay quiet” — changed me forever.
It’s the dream of many young people to one day stand on a TEDx stage.
I knew it would be challenging — I wasn’t sure if I was powerful or inspiring enough to share my story.
But one thought kept me grounded: to use this moment to make my voice, my mother’s voice, and the voices of all women and girls more heard.
Because if I don’t speak now about gender equality, then who will?
If not now, then when?
This year’s International Day of the Girl Child theme, “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis,” reminds me that leadership doesn’t always begin with confidence.
Sometimes, it begins with fear — and choosing to speak anyway.
Because every girl, in her own way, is standing on a frontline.
Some are confronting the impacts of climate change in their villages.
Some are resisting early marriage, school dropouts, or gender-based violence.
And some are simply fighting to be heard — in classrooms, meetings, or even at the family table.
These girls are not waiting to be rescued — they are already leading.
Through quiet acts of courage. Through small campaigns. Through creative storytelling that redefines what it means to be a “good girl.”
They are encouraging others to rise with them — to turn their stories into strength, and their voices into change.
When I think of “the girl I am,” I see more than my own journey.
I see the girls from our Breakthrough movement — using their collective voices to challenge inequality.
I see my younger self, who once thought her ideas were too small.
And I see a new generation — girls who refuse to let norms decide who they should be, and instead lead with courage, creativity, and care.
Behind my talk are the people who have been my quiet strength — those who lifted me emotionally, mentally, and spiritually when I doubted myself.
My Breakthrough sisters, family, seniors, and friends reminded me that every voice carries a chorus of others who helped it rise.
That is what I’ll hold onto — to keep lifting others, and helping more girls find and use their voices too.
Speaking at TEDx wasn’t the end of my journey — it was a beginning.
It reminded me that our voices are not just for inspiration, but for transformation.
That every story told aloud becomes a bridge — connecting silence to solidarity.
So today, on #DayOfTheGirl2025, I celebrate every girl who is leading from her frontline — whether that’s at home, in the classroom, in community spaces, or in the fight for equality.
You don’t need to wait for permission to lead.
You already are.
Because the girl you are — brave, curious, imperfect — is already the change you lead.
From silence, we build a collective voice.
And that voice is powerful enough to move the world. 🌍✨
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