RISE Foundation, in partnership with Project HOPE and fully supported by Kimberly-Clark Corporation, has completed a transformative series of HER Way (Healthy, Educated, and Resilient Wellbeing for every Adolescent Girl and Young Woman) training sessions for Health Heroes Facilitators (HHF) and teachers in Sidoarjo.
The event, held on April 20-21, 2026, at Aston Sidoarjo, exemplifies a shared commitment to empowering adolescent girls by adopting a life-cycle approach within the HER Way (Healthy, Educated, and Resilient Wellbeing for every Adolescent Girl and Young Woman) program, known in Indonesia as SEKAR (SEhat, Kaya PengetAhuan, dan Resilien).
Puput Susanto, Program Advisor at RISE Foundation, opened the event with a speech highlighting the importance of creating safe spaces for adolescent girls. Dr. Drs. Rachmadi Widhiharto, M.A., Director of the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Primary Education Division, also expressed full government support for the HER Way/SEKAR program.
This training involved 28 participants, including 16 selected adolescent girls as Health Heroes Facilitators (HHF) and 12 teachers from Sidoarjo. In the HER Way program, teachers act as primary facilitators, creating supportive, safe learning environments that address the needs of adolescent girls. Meanwhile, the HHFs serve as peer facilitators, acting as approachable, friendly sources of information and support in schools and communities.
First day of training began with a value clarification session through the “cross the line” activity, encouraging reflection on personal values and perspectives regarding sexual and reproductive health. On the second day, participants engaged in peer teaching sessions using prepared modules.
Teachers delved into official modules from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Health, preparing them to become credible and supportive agents of change for adolescent girls. At the end of the training, participants created actionable and measurable Follow-Up Plans (Rencana Tindak Lanjut – RTL) for the program.
The HER Way / SEKAR program, which is committed to sustainability, developed concrete, measurable RTLs. The HHF’s are preparing to launch the “Heroes Goes To School” program in Sidoarjo starting in May 2026. The initiative will visit 8 schools, reaching 50 adolescent girls per school, and directly impacting 400 girls by enhancing their knowledge of reproductive health, menstrual hygiene management, mental health, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).
Meanwhile, teachers are planning to integrate the materials into school curricula and support the implementation of the “Heroes Goes To School” activities, which will engage hundreds of educators across Sidoarjo. This initiative ensures the impact of the training extends beyond the classroom, reaching thousands of adolescent girls in the region.
The birth of 28 young facilitators, both adolescent girls and teachers, signals that this training is more than just a number it marks the creation of a network of change agents who will support one another. Through the HER Way program, RISE Foundation not only educates but also transforms young girls, empowering them today to become resilient women for a better tomorrow.
