S.M.I.L.E
S.M.I.L.E’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program (YLMP) is one of our flagship initiatives, purposefully designed to equip public secondary school students with the skills, knowledge, mindset, and leadership capacity required to excel academically and achieve their life goals.
Over the course of four impactful weeks, 40 Change Champions across eight public secondary schools were trained on transformational topics including time management, vision and mission development, public speaking, academic excellence, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), comportment and etiquette, and more.
Following the intensive classroom sessions, we were delighted to see these young leaders—through a structured peer mentoring approach and with guidance from S.M.I.L.E youth mentors and school counselors—embark on a seven-week fieldwork exercise. During this phase, they delivered hands-on training and knowledge-sharing sessions to their peers within their respective schools.
This peer mentoring phase was intentionally designed to broaden the mindset of both the Change Champions and their peers, deepen their understanding of the topics taught, and strengthen essential skills such as communication, teaching, presentation, and peer leadership. We are pleased to share that 158 secondary school students benefited from this phase of the program.
Most importantly, the initiative nurtured a new generation of young leaders who are empowered to guide, influence, and inspire others.
At S.M.I.L.E, we remain committed to developing confident, values-driven young people who lead with purpose and create lasting impact within their schools and communities.
Our profound appreciation goes to our amazing partners for their unwavering support.