This blog was written by Arshiya Shaik.
When you think of changemakers, you might imagine seasoned activists, community leaders, or nonprofit founders. But sometimes, the most powerful ideas come from the smallest voices. Meet Sky, a bright 10-year-old with an even brighter idea — Meisjes voor Meisjes (Dutch for Girls for Girls), a heartfelt initiative born from the inspiration she drew from her mother’s involvement in the Women for Women Tilburg program by the Expat Spouses Initiative (ESI) and Gemeente Tilburg.
Between horseback riding, singing, and spending time with friends, Sky has found time to reflect deeply on something most adults struggle to talk about — being seen for who they are. And she wants to do something about it.
“They deserve better”
That’s the sentence Sky said, straight from the heart, when asked what inspired her to create her initiative. Meisjes for Meisjes is a space where young girls can feel safe, seen, and celebrated. As she describes it, it’s an international dancing and therapy program for girls who may feel insecure about themselves — a space where they are reminded that they are “perfect just the way they are.”
Sky’s journey toward this empowering concept began with her mother’s participation in ESI’s Women for Women Tilburg program. Sky tagged along to the program’s closing event and was immediately captivated by the sense of belonging and diversity she saw there.
“There were tall women, short women, international women,” she said. “They could all just be themselves.”
That sense of freedom, authenticity, and support sparked something in Sky. If ESI could create a community that helped women feel more secure in themselves, why couldn’t someone do the same for girls?
Sky didn’t wait for someone else to do it. She decided she would be the one to start.
Girls are Tiny Women
Sky made a simple yet powerful observation: girls are tiny women. And just like women need each other for support, so do the girls. She reflected on her own experiences of insecurity and decided that no one should feel that way alone.
“Actually, I’m one of the insecure people,” she shared openly. “Sometimes it’s hard.”
This moment of vulnerability from someone so young is what makes Meisjes voor Meisjes so special. It is rooted not in pity or sympathy, but in empathy — the kind that comes from knowing what it feels like to experience anxiety about growing up and wanting no one else to feel the same.
Her idea goes beyond just dancing and therapy. It’s about connection. It’s about one girl looking at another and saying, “I see you, and I’ve felt that too.”
Dancing, Therapy, and Friendship
Sky’s program seeks to combine elements she knows and loves: movement and emotion. She used to take dance classes, performed on stage and remembers how they made her feel stronger and more confident. So why not use dance as a form of healing? Paired with informal therapy and heart-to-heart conversations, it’s a combination Sky believes that will help girls feel less alone.
“If someone doesn’t like dancing, they can just talk,” she said casually, as if reinventing emotional support was the most natural thing in the world.
She even imagined how the program would work: girls who feel unsure could come and talk about their feelings, play games, or just sit and know that they are not the only ones going through hard emotions. She has already recruited a few members: her best friend Ruby from New Zealand, and two boys, Finn and Gabriel!
Yes, boys. Because even though the name means Girls for Girls, Sky’s vision is growing more inclusive with time!
“Men, girls, women — every age, every gender, every sexuality,” she said. “They all deserve to be here.”
A Tree That Doesn’t Fall
Every great initiative needs a powerful symbol, and Sky’s chosen hers: a tree.
Why? Because no matter how strong the wind blows, even if it’s a tornado, the tree stands tall. For Sky, the wind is a symbol of insecurity, anxiety. And the tree? That’s the girl who refuses to be knocked down by doubt.
This metaphor couldn’t be more fitting. Meisjes voor Meisjes is built on the belief that every girl, no matter what storms she faces, can stand tall with the right support. And in this case, that support comes from other girls just like her.
Feelings, Scaled and Shared
Sky is also quite the budding researcher. She created emotional assessments for people around her, measuring feelings like stress, anxiety, sadness, depression on a scale from 1 to 10. Her “therapeutic harmony” scale has proven just how deeply she’s thinking about emotional wellbeing, even if she’s still figuring out how to spell “depression” or “anxiety”!
“I did them for them,” she said confidently, showing pages filled with doodles, notes, and charts. This wasn’t just a passing idea. Sky is building a system for her organisation!
Rules and Bosses
Like every strong leader, Sky has rules for her organization. No lying. No snitching. And absolutely no being mean!
“If someone is pretending to be the boss when I’m the boss — why would they do that?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.
Her assertiveness is refreshing, and it comes with a clear sense of justice. She knows that a safe space needs boundaries, and she’s not afraid to set them. These rules aren’t about control — they’re about protecting the trust and respect that will make her initiative work.
With Her Mom by Her Side
Sky’s mom, Ela Rath, beams with pride when asked about her daughter’s initiative.
“It was such an uplifting moment,” she shared, reflecting on the spark she saw in Sky’s eyes during the Women for Women program.
She didn’t help Sky build the idea — that was all Sky. She was there as a witness, offering the kind of support that mothers often do best. She continued the tradition of including her daughter in her growth and development when she joined the ESI community. This gave Sky the exposure she needed to feel inspired.
And this is exactly what ESI stands for — sparking connections, empowering women, and possibly, even inspiring the next generation!
The Sky is the Limit
When asked what she’s most proud of in Meisjes voor Meisjes, Sky answers without hesitation: “Everything.”
And rightfully so. She’s built something meaningful from scratch — a space for international, ambitious young girls, to feel a little less alone. She’s taken a grown-up concept, made it her own, and expanded it with the creativity only a child could bring.
She dreams of expanding the concept — with some fun games, crafts, and activities. She wants it to be a place that welcomes everyone, where no one is judged for who they are or what they feel.
Her advice for others who want to start something like this?
“Ask a friend or family member to help. And get some inspiration.”
Sometimes, all it takes is a spark. For Sky, that spark came from seeing the impact of women empowering other women… Strong, unshaken amidst challenges, just like her tree in the wind. And now, she’s rooted in her own mission to help others do the same.
