Girls Be Change on Empowering Women Through Purposeful Travel
There is a quote from famed American world traveler, Burton Holmes — the same man who invented the “Travelogue” — that says: “To travel is to possess the world.” Life is too short to stay in one place. We believe that people are natural explorers and that it’s important to step out of our comfort zones, experience the unknown, and foster curiosity as these are triggers of change and movement.
Girls Be Change was founded upon this very thought. In a world where adventure and empowerment intertwine, the social business has become a beacon for women who wish to make a change, enabling them to become explorers and changemakers. It was founded four years ago by Carmen Chan, a Hong-Kong-based entrepreneur, who was driven to answer one particular question: "How can we create lasting change?" For the past two years, Carmen has solo-traveled the world, learning from both individuals and organizations who are making a unique impact and are passionate about making purposeful change. This journey has led her to founding the business with a clear vision: to enable and empower women and girls to be explorers and agents of transformation.
This year, Girls Be Change is launching an inaugural initiative that aims to combine travel with purposeful engagement. We spoke with Carmen, as well as some of her amazing partners to know more about the Impact Expeditions for Women Explorers, the activities they have in store for its participants, and how it intends to promote responsible travel and making meaningful connections.
‘Travel with Purpose. Connect with Intention.’
Just like how the founder discovered a global tribe of women changemakers through travel, Girls Be Change’s Impact Expeditions for Women Explorers intends to do the same.
Designed for, by, and with women explorers, this expedition will take women participants to breathtaking locales, including wildlife conservation efforts in South Africa and cultural and natural wonders through the Peruvian Andes and Amazon Rainforest, all while fostering women changemakers community and supporting local causes in gender equity and conservation.
“I believe girls and women — no matter how old or in what life stage they are — are the agents of change, and we all have the power to be the change we want to see in the world. Traveling offers a unique opportunity to explore both the outer world and one's inner self. It allows us to regroup, reset, and reinvent who we want to be,” Carmen told The Beat Asia as she gave us more insight into the upcoming program.
The first Impact Expedition will take women explorers to the nature reserve in South Africa from Jun. 7 to 13 where they can gain a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into a world usually hidden from the public eye. Co-hosted by Wilde Tracks — an organization dedicated to preserving global ecosystems through eco-tourism — this expedition aims to address the urgent need for wildlife conservation and intervention in the region; allowing participants to work directly with seasoned conservation experts and wildlife veterinarians who are helping to fund critical conservation efforts, including helicopter operations, wildlife collars and tags, veterinary fees, and essential medicines.
“Women travelers gain a multifaceted experience that goes beyond traditional tourism — to learn about the challenges women in the field face,” Chloe Evans, Founder of Wilde Tracks, stated. “All our initiatives are driven from the ground up, shaped by the priorities and challenges identified by experts and local communities in the countries where we work. Beyond conservation and community engagement, we also offer activities and workshops that address the challenges travelers — especially women — may face on the road, ensuring they feel safe, supported, and confident while exploring. We don’t just create unforgettable experiences — we build a movement of conscious travelers working alongside local communities with our core in wildlife conservation to make a lasting impact.”
The participants will have the opportunity to work hands-on in conservation and participate in veterinary interventions such as rhino dehorning. Furthermore, the expedition will include engaging with community initiatives for women and children and creative sessions such as jewelry-making using recycled snares from the poaching trade. This partnership seemed like a natural fit, considering Wilde Tracks is also an all-female team, and is all about “creating space for women to lead, explore, and drive meaningful change.” Girls Be Change shares this goal, both organizations built on the power of the community and bring women together to exchange ideas, share experiences, and make an impact.
“Throughout their journey, participants travel safely, connect with fellow female travelers, and enjoy breathtaking experiences — from witnessing the Big Five to being at one with nature — making for a truly empowering adventure,” Chloe added.
Speaking of traveling safely, we asked Carmen about “responsible travel” and how they intend to encourage women participants to take part, considering traveling alone poses some risks, especially for women explorers.
“Everything in life involves risk. Sometimes we all just need a little nudge — a shared bravery from a community that helps us to take a leap of faith,” she said. “There is a power in exploring the unknown where you also discover the unknown version of yourself and become the change you want to be. That’s the linkage from being an explorer to a changemaker, and that’s the reason we launched Impact Expedition for Women Explorers. Going to the Amazon alone might be quite intimidating but we are going together.”
Girls Be Change also partnered with Denmark-based company Goodwings — a flight-booking platform that shows carbon emission information, enabling travelers to make conscious and informed choices. The flights booked through Goodwings for this initiative in 2025 will also be carbon offset.
“The Goodwings platform is built around more responsible travel, which is exactly what Girls Be Change (and our partnership) seeks to promote,” said Christian Møller-Holst, CEO of Goodwings. “Girls Be Change has a strong focus on social change but also on traveling with intention and making sure that when we do travel, we do so in the least harmful way possible. While our platform, like any other travel management system, provides you with the option to book transport like flights, cars, trains, and even accommodation, we’ve built climate considerations into every part of it.”
Goodwings’ booking system is subject to travel policy climate considerations such as maximum CO2 per passenger kilometer traveled, urging users to make more responsible travel choices. The platform equips you with the tools to make your travel less harmful while also giving them the necessary data needed to control, report on, and reduce their emissions from travel.
“We have also invested in 100 liters of SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) on behalf of Girls Be Change to further the idea of intentional travel — making decarbonization a part of the equation,” Christian added.
The Impact Expeditions does more than just give participating women the necessary tools and experiences to make a change but also intends to give back. Girls Be Change is partnering with Daughters Rising and reinvesting net profits from the expeditions to support the Girls’ Scholarship Program, allowing ethnic minority women from Myanmar and those in refugee camps to pursue higher education.
A Movement Towards Making a Lasting Impact
The women who decide to engage in this exciting expedition will not only be able to witness beautiful and unique destinations but gain experience — insights that one can’t otherwise get from anywhere else.
Girls Be Change is reshaping travel to become more intentional and purposeful, giving women a chance to experience the world through meaningful community-based activities that broaden their perceptions, increase their empathy, and help them get to know themselves better. The Impact Expeditions are more than just a trip, it’s a chance to connect with fellow changemakers and carve your own footprints toward making a change that matters.
“One of the highlights of the Impact Expedition is that it begins even before the trip starts and continues after the trip ends! Before traveling to the nature reserve in South Africa or the Andean Mountains or the Amazon rainforest, they can join the Virtual Campfire with Changemakers sessions throughout the year to connect with the other women changemakers and explorers to exchange stories,” explained Carmen.
“Through the stories of other women, we can envision so many possibilities beyond our current limit of selves. They can also join the global Women Changemakers Community as a supportive network to lift each other up.”
The trip to South Africa is only the beginning. Girls Be Change has already planned their next expedition in partnership with Sacred Valley Project (SVP) later this year. The trip will take place in Peru from Aug. 17 to 26, 2025, and will include a multi-day trek to the world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Machu Picchu via Salkantay trail. Participants will also get the chance to explore the ancient capital of Cusco and engage in service work in the SVP such as workshops and community outreach.
“Sacred Valley Project believes in the power of education in women and the importance of gender equity,” said Alex Ball, founder of Sacred Valley Project. “While we are empowering the girls in remote areas of the Andes for their secondary education by providing boarding and supplementary education, we also share a common goal of gender equality with Girls Be Change that all girls and women are agents of change in their lives and their world.”
2025 is truly a year of global change-making for the organization with its exciting line-up of expeditions that will provide women the chance to learn about communities in various parts of the world, and hopefully encourage more to become part of the changemaker club.
Girls Be Change is also expanding its Women Changemakers Community gatherings, which aim to bridge knowledge and expertise between the Global North and South. They will take place in various countries including Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Africa, Denmark, Peru, and Thailand. The gathering in Jakarta took place on Mar. 8 with Ashoka Indonesia and TORAJAMELO. The organization is also launching a monthly series called Virtual Campfire with Changemakers, which will talk about various topics surrounding women.
If you’re interested in taking part in this massive opportunity to see and discover the world, you can sign up for the South Africa expedition here.
For more information on the event lineups, you can visit Girls Be Change’s website or follow them on Instagram for updates.
Get the latest curated content with The Beat Asia's newsletters. Sign up now for a weekly dose of the best stories, events, and deals delivered straight to your inbox. Don't miss out! Click here to subscribe.
