TORCH BEARER’S GRADUATION

What started as a journey of learning, healing and discovering self-worth came to a beautiful close with the graduation of our first cohort of Torch Bearers.

Through the Torch Bearer’s Journey, young women and girls were given a safe space to talk about womanhood, self-worth, abuse, self-preservation, safeguarding, forgiveness, purpose and the courage to walk tall. But the journey did not end with the final session. We wanted each girl to leave knowing that she carries something worth sharing with others.

One of the most encouraging outcomes of this first cohort was seeing eight of our graduates receive scholarships to study online for a bachelor’s degree at HBI University in Canada. What began as a conversation about dignity and purpose opened the door to a new season of education and opportunity.

We are proud of how far these young women have come, and even more excited about where they can go from here. Our hope is that every Torch Bearer will continue to carry the light forward, reaching another girl, another woman, another community.

TORCH BEARER’S JOURNEY: COHORT 2

In March 2026, we welcomed a new group of young women and girls into the second cohort of the Torch Bearer’s Journey. Over the following weeks, they came together to learn, reflect, ask difficult questions and discover more about who they are and the value they carry.

From womanhood and self-worth to abuse awareness, self-preservation, safeguarding and purpose, each session created room for honest conversations and personal growth.

By May 2026, Cohort 2 had successfully completed the journey.

For us, the completion of another cohort is more than the end of a programme. It is another group of young women who have been equipped with knowledge and confidence that we hope they will carry into their schools, workplaces, families and communities.

We are grateful for every participant who showed up, opened up and took the journey seriously.

DIGNIFIED

Through Dignified, Grand Espoir has begun reaching out to people struggling with substance use in Kotu. So far, we have made four outreach visits, provided food and water while taking time to meet people, talk with them, and begin building trust.

We know that lasting change cannot happen through a single meal or a single conversation. That is why Dignified is not only about what we give, but about the relationships we build along the way.

Our early visits have been a starting point, reminding people that their lives still have value and dignity.

We are continuing to learn from these encounters and explore how we can provide more meaningful support, including connection to counselling, and recovery services.