In the build-up to International Women’s Day, more than 100 women in Suva and Lautoka took part in a global mentoring walk this morning.

Organized by Graduate Women Fiji, the project aims to identify, train and empower emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs.

President Ronna Pastorizo-Sekiguchi says women are faced with multiple challenges on their path to leadership.

“We started in 2017 with just 30 women and had a number of those women still walking with us today. So in the last four days, it’s been growing. It just shows how much women want to engage with other women just to talk about their similar challenges, to see what advice they can get. Some nuggets of wisdom and there is so much need for mentoring.”

17-year-old Riona Mani who is new to the project says the mentoring walk and networking session with other women is empowering.

“It helps me build up this motivation inside that I can do it and it’s great.”

Mentor Tiri Naulivou says there is a need for more mentoring to ensure women reach their full potential.

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is Choose to Challenge and it offers an opportunity to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women.