Everyone knows the teenage years can be very awkward and difficult, with many challenges and situations that make life difficult for every teener. But teen ladies, fear no more, because Johnson & Johnson Philippines launched Camp Courage – a movement that seeks to inform Filipina teens on how they can build their confidence in seizing every moment to reach their full potential.
A study conducted by Civic Science for Johnson & Johnson: Clean & Clear, 2014 on the behavior of teens nowadays showed that 75 percent of girls aged 13-17 want to feel accepted yet are afraid of being judged. Among Filipinas, this translates to dyahe, hiya, and kaba (which could mean shyness, embarrassment and apprehension) – amplified by the many changes they go through physically, emotionally and socially.
The findings prompted J&J Philippines to jumpstart Camp Courage. “Knowing and understanding the needs of young Filipinas is the very foundation of the advocacy we are doing at J&J Philippines,” shared Karen Co, Group Brand Manager for Women’s Health & Beauty of J&J Philippines. “It is during the teenage years when girls start to feel new emotions that translate into their perception about themselves and how they relate to others. Madalas nandyan yung ‘dyahe’, ‘hiya’, at ‘kaba’ especially when they start to get affected by the many changes that are happening around them, which also include the bodily changes resulting in discomfort,” she continued, adding that Camp Courage aims to empower Filipina teens by building up their confidence to seize every moment with the right tools and information, leading up to realizing their full potential.
Camp Courage will go around the Philippines to reach out to about 400,000 Filipina teens in 500 schools nationwide. It will conduct workshops and activities that will help girls understand their bodies even better, know the right things to do in any situation, and find opportunities where they can enhance their talents and skills even more. More importantly, the Camp Courage School Program will encourage teens to face challenges head on, inspiring them to believe in themselves and their abilities.
The advocacy will also run online at www.ourcampcourage.ph where teens can share inspiring stories, talk about their thoughts and feelings as well as encourage and support each as they go through the challenges of teenage life.
Supporting this campaign are brands such as Clean & Clear to help girls show their real self with the confidence of clean and clear skin; Carefree, which allows them to discover and fully enjoy new experiences with a well-maintained fresh confidence; and Modess, which gives them the confidence to enjoy an active lifestyle with unrestrained confidence.
Join the conversations and encourage other girls online by visiting www.ourcampcourage.ph and by using the hashtag #CampCouragePH.