Girl Rising: Kuala Lumpur - A Film Screening

FrogAsia and Yes hosted Girl Rising: Kuala Lumpur, a screening of the internationally acclaimed documentary film, Girl Rising. The screening was held at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, in partnership with the Girl Guides Association of Kuala Lumpur. 

The film, Girl Rising highlights the stories of nine young girls born into unforgiving circumstances. These girls are each unique, but the obstacles they faced are ubiquitous. Girl Rising echoes the hopes of 66 million girls around the world who dream of going to school and want, more than anything, to learn. 

Girl Rising is also movement that is dedicated to empowering and achieving educational equity for girls around the world. This falls in line with FrogAsia’s vision to bridge education inequity by bridging the digital divide, and empowering the next generation with access to knowledge and opportunities, made possible by the Internet.

With that in mind, the theme for the event was "I Am Change", a line from the film that encapsulates the purpose of Girl Rising: Kuala Lumpur, that is to encourage the 500 Girl Guides in attendance to be agents of change in their schools and in their community. The event championed girls’ right to education and shone a light on the transformative power of education not only on the lives of girls but also the community around them.

Dato Soo Keng giving her opening speech as President of the Girl Guides Association of Kuala Lumpur 

It was a fun-filled day for the Girl Guides who came from schools around Kuala Lumpur. Two schools came all the way from Negeri Sembilan and Melaka just to attend the screening as well. 

The girls were an enthusiastic bunch and were fully engaged right from the start as they had the opportunity to share their wish for girls by Tweeting with #girlrisingkl, enjoying sweet treats at the snack bar while waiting for the film to start. 

The Executive Director of YTL Communications and President of the Girl Guides Association of Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Yeoh Soo Keng was present to support the event together with FrogAsia's Executive Director Yeoh Pei Lou and YTL Group Legal Counsel Datin Kathleen Chew.

A Girl Guide taking a look at the Photo and Facts Wall.

One goodie bag each for everyone at Girl Rising: Kuala Lumpur! 

The Wishing Garden where the girls could hang their pledges after the film screening. 

Snack Bar with tidbits and biscuits for the girls to snack on while waiting for the film to start.

Executive Director of FrogAsia, Yeoh Pei Lou shares her heart for education equity in Malaysia

Just before the film began, FrogAsia's Executive Director, Yeoh Pei Lou addressed the event's theme "I Am Change" and challenged the girls to be an agent of change who will make a difference in their generation. 

"... Not all girls have the exposure and the opportunities to dream big and make these dreams a reality. Because not all girls have access to something we so easily take for granted- an education," she reminded them.

"If you are not the change then who will be? I hope this event will start a movement of girls, beginning from the 500 in this room, who will raise up your voices and rise up to be the change, influencing your friends and peers to do the same."

Yeoh Pei Lou, Dato' Soo Keng and Datin Kathleen Chew with the women of the Girl Guides Association

Pledges written by the girls that were hanging in the Wishing Garden

After the film, the girls were given some time to write their pledges down and hang them up at the Wishing Garden. The pledges made were a great reminder that we have to be the change that we wished to see in the world. 

For more information about Girl Rising: Kuala Lumpur, visit leapsofknowledge.com/girlrisingkl