June 2026
Dear Friends and Supporters,
In this newsletter we are excited to share more good news – the Foundation has now received charity status in HK, and our inaugural Virtual Leadership Training program has concluded successfully.
The purpose of creating the virtual leadership training program is to expand our outreach and impact a larger number of deserving women. By reading the testimonies of the participants, it has proven that this program has made transformational differences for these young women in such a short time. It has given us the confidence to continue developing this program.
Over the last two years of our work, we have learned that the desire for opportunities like this, and the need, among young women in Asia, is huge. The candidates we have met are from underprivileged backgrounds, but each is determined and highly motivated to go forward and beyond. They appreciate and deserve any opportunity to advance themselves, and importantly, many already have the mindset and inherent capacity for creating social impact.
Advancing women is advancing societies. It has been proven repeatedly in our 20 years of activity – investing in women is investing in our collective future.
We want to thank each of you who has supported this important work and hope you enjoy reading the testimonies from our participants and facilitators of this new program.
Ching Tien
Foundation received charity status in Hong Kong
Our application for official Hong Kong charity status received approval.
This is a necessary and significant step to enable us developing our Foundation’s presence in Hong Kong, building fundraising capacities and programs partners in Hong Kong and other Asian regions. We would like to extend our heartfelt thank you and appreciation to BMO Asia for their support, and to Meyer Brown who played a crucial role in providing legal services in our Foundation’s establishment in Hong Kong, on a pro bono basis.
Our Inaugural Virtual Leadership Training Program was a Grand Success
This program was designed for aspiring young women leaders from Asia who are either in their senior year of studies or in early career development and are motivated to advance themselves by learning and practicing leadership.
As a result, participants gained knowledge, confidence and conviction that they are leaders, and that one of the goals of being a leader is to serve and give back.
The 14 selected participants are from Afghanistan, China, India, Myanmar and the Philippines.
The program was created and enabled by a longtime supporter, Executive Coach, Facilitator and Trainer Laura Mitchelson. Laura volunteered her time and expertise to design the program and recruit a faculty of volunteer professionals.
The program was delivered over six two-hour online sessions focusing on self-discovery, goal setting, personal branding, public speaking and leadership cultivation. During the last session, each participant presented their learnings.
Learn about the faculty
Each of these highly successful senior professionals devoted their time and skills to make the program possible. Click on their photos below to see their respective bios.
From Laura Michelson –
“This program is designed to be a memorable and immediately useful experience for a group of talented and ambitious participants. I reached out to individuals whose expertise could truly enrich the program, and we refined the content to powerfully support the participants’ leadership journeys while building in time for the cohort to get to know and learn from each other.
Participants were challenged to think from different perspectives, dream bigger and plan with confidence. This is a truly inspirational and capable group of young women, who all have the potential to enact great change. I can’t wait to watch their continued journeys!”
From Our Aspiring Leaders –
“Participating in the Virtual Leadership Program reshaped my understanding of leadership; not as a position of authority, but as a devoted act of service and purposeful action. Most profoundly, I learned that leadership is not reserved for a select few. It is a choice available to anyone willing to serve others and create lasting, positive change in the world.”
– Zakia Rahimi, Afghanistan
Asian University for Women
“I appreciated that this program pushed me to reflect on my values so I can be a better leader. We were directed to look inward through sessions on self-discovery and personal branding. We learned about actions that impact others through the goal setting and public speaking and finally we had inspirational sharing about leadership and giving back from Ching Tien and the Foundation’s alumni”.
My peers, amazing senior women leaders from across the globe, were amazing! The future really is female, and the program was proof of it for me.”
– Leanne Isip, Philippines
Ateneo de Manila University
“Before this program, I did not fully see myself as a leader or as someone capable of thinking this boldly and critically. Through the self-discovery sessions with Laura and the leadership discussions with Ching, I gained a deeper understanding of my values, strengths, and the kind of impact I want to create. This program encouraged me to think bigger, not only about my own growth, but about how I can create meaningful educational opportunities for Afghan girls and contribute to positive change in my community.”
– Laieqa Nikzad, Afghanistan
Asian University for Women
“This was a journey that helped me rediscover myself and witness the power of women supporting one another. It was especially precious to meet women from different countries. Through their stories and sharing, I came to understand the realities, challenges, and inequalities faced by women around the world. Their courage and actions have become an important source of motivation for me to continue promoting women projects in China.”
– Lifang Zhang, China
Architect
“Ching’s words resonated with me, “You are already a leader, you just need to believe in yourself.” What moved me most was Ching’s story. A girl who couldn’t finish college went on to create educational opportunities for more than 2,000 girls. That is truly inspiring. This is not just a one-month virtual program, it is lifelong lessons shared by experts with knowledge in leadership and personal growth.”
– Basgul Nikzad, Afghanistan
Asian University for Women
“Through this program, I learned that leaders are not simply born; leadership grows through confidence, learning, and experience. One of the most important lessons I learned is that the very first step to becoming a leader is believing in yourself.”
– Myint Myat Khine, Myanmar
Asian University for Women
“As an Afghan student studying Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, I connected deeply with the program’s focus on ethical leadership, empathy, and creating positive change. This program strengthened my confidence, expanded my perspective, and inspired me to continue supporting women and girls through education, leadership, and community service.”
– Khatira Ahmadi, Afghanistan
Asian University for Women
In this newsletter, we are delighted to share the transformational impact of our Virtual Leadership Training Program on the young women leaders we support.
If you are inspired by what you read, please consider donating to support the Ching Tien Foundation for Women today. Your gift today is an investment in the future leaders of a more equitable future.