After three weeks of immersive, skill-building programming, Dominica’s I Have A Right Foundation (IHARF) has successfully concluded its 2026 Girlhood Summer Leadership Bootcamp, a targeted initiative designed to boost adolescent girls’ confidence, expand their knowledge base, and nurture the leadership skills that will drive progress across the island nation.
As a rights-focused non-profit, IHARF centers its core mission on youth empowerment, grassroots advocacy, accessible education, and holistic personal growth. The organization works to build inclusive, supportive environments where young people can gain the practical tools they need to emerge as active, impactful contributors to national development, explained IHARF Programme Manager Lucien Alexander.
Running from July 20 through August 9, this year’s bootcamp rejected the structure of a traditional recreational summer camp in favor of a deep, hands-on developmental experience tailored to the unique needs of adolescent girls. The curriculum covered a far-reaching range of topics spanning every area of personal and professional growth, from individual wellbeing and healthy relationships to educational advancement, long-term career planning, and community leadership.
Throughout the program, participants explored critical life skills including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, mental health maintenance, value alignment, sexual and reproductive health rights, basic first aid, and personal safety. They also built core interpersonal competencies, learning how to practice empathy, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, and negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes. Sessions focused on future readiness introduced girls to evidence-based goal-setting frameworks, time management strategies, foundational financial literacy, basic entrepreneurship principles, and structured career development planning. Digital citizenship modules addressed responsible online behavior, digital literacy for everyday life, and the evolving impact of artificial technology on daily and professional life. The final segment of the bootcamp centered specifically on leadership development, team collaboration, advocacy skills, and empowerment, encouraging each participant to identify and cultivate their innate leadership potential.
Hands-on, active participation was the cornerstone of the bootcamp’s learning model. Girls developed skills through collaborative team-building challenges, interactive role-playing activities, facilitated group discussions, creative expression projects, vision boarding exercises, hands-on leadership challenges, public speaking practice, and guided reflection sessions. The initiative was supported by a diverse team of IHARF staff, trained volunteers, student interns, and industry professionals who shared their specialized expertise with participants, including Dr. Zoriah Telemaque, Beverly Leblanc, Marilyn Cuffy-Morris, Sergeant Urias Moses, Nichola James-Charles, Shirnon Telemaque, and Luana Laurent.
The 2026 bootcamp concluded with a formal closing ceremony and family engagement session, where participants showcased the skills and knowledge they had gained over the three weeks and received formal recognition for their growth and progress. The event also included dedicated guidance for attending parents and guardians, covering key topics around adolescent developmental milestones, teen mental wellness, and the critical role of family support during the transitional teenage years.
Alexander noted that the entire program was built around a core belief: young people do not need to wait until adulthood or hold formal positions of power to step into leadership roles. From the first session, participants were encouraged to recognize that they can drive meaningful positive change in their families, schools, and local communities starting at their current age.
Looking ahead, IHARF confirmed that it will continue expanding investment in initiatives like the Girlhood Summer Leadership Bootcamp to nurture generations of confident, informed, socially conscious young women across Dominica. The organization remains committed to helping girls shape self-determined futures while making lasting, meaningful contributions to the ongoing development of the island nation.