Our impact
Our annual report 2023 is out! Download it here to learn more about BTG’s impact and goals for the future.
Our Vision
Women all over the world can live self-determined lives, fulfil their potential and accelerate development in their communities and beyond.
We define self-determination as having the rights, ability and resources to control one’s life trajectory, through choices such as partner, marriage, education, profession, use of financial resources, residence and childbearing.
Our MISSION
By supporting impactful organisations, help women lead self-determined lives, fulfil their potential and help their communities prosper.
What does a girl need to succeed?
Our theory of change
Our Strategy
INVEST
We finance and partner with organisations advancing women self-determination.
CONNECT
We foster collaboration among partners and other stakeholders, such as private sector and academia, to create synergies and multiply impact.
LEARN
We support research and evaluation to continuously improve approaches, share lessons learnt and accelerate innovation.
Advocate
We leverage our network and reach to promote female self-determination and an equal role for women in all areas of society.
Our beneficiaries
We aim to reach disadvantaged girls and young women in low-income countries
Adolescent girls and young women, who are navigating the transition to womanhood, are particularly vulnerable to harmful practices such as early marriage, gender-based violence and early pregnancy. They are often on the cusp of making life-altering decisions, such as whether to drop out of school or pursue higher education and employment outside the home. At the same time, they have high potential to learn.
We target adolescent girls and young women in low-income countries, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, whether because of poverty, living in a rural area, belonging to a community with cultural norms that penalize women or living in crisis situations, such as refugee camps and conflict zones.
Through education, mentorship, life skills and support to access dignified employment, we help them reach their full potential and become changemakers in their communities.
Our Inspiration
It all started with a personal story
Cornelia Gantner documentary feature “That Girl” follows the efforts of a young woman from Zambia, Gladys, and her Swiss husband Thomas, as they set out to build a farm and a secondary school in a rural community in Zambia. The school will give girls in particular the chance to continue their education and dream of a better future.
Filmed over a period of five years, the documentary follows the work of the young couple without any “sugar-coating”, as their dreams clash against the real difficulties of driving change on the ground.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic response to her documentary, Cornelia decided not to leave the subject only to the big screen, but to provide girls and women with concrete support to achieve self-determined lives.
OUR STORY
WHY be that girl
Hear from our founder Cornelia Gantner how BTG started and her vision for the future of the foundation.
Our Team
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Cornelia Gantner
FOUNDER
From the movie “That Girl” to Be That Girl Foundation, Cornelia is creating a global movement to advance women self-determination.
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Sarah Furrer
BOARD MEMBER
Sarah is a senior social development and gender equality specialist with over two decades of experience in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
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Saraja Gantner
BOARD MEMBER
An architect by trade and currently doing her MSc in City Design and Social Sciences at LSE in London, Saraja is passionate about advancing women empowerment for the next generation.
Read a BTG interview with Saraja here.
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Ottavia Pesce
CEO
Ottavia leads the Foundation’s strategy and operations. Previously, she worked as economist for the United Nations in Africa and the Middle East.
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Henriette Kolb
SENIOR ADVISOR
Henriette leads the Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory (SIA) Group at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Previously, she led the Gender and Economic Inclusion Group at the IFC and was the CEO of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
Read a BTG interview with Henriette here.
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Dr. José Carbajo
SENIOR ADVISOR
José is an international development expert with 30+ years of experience in academia (University of London); international financial institutions (EBRD and World Bank); supra-national institutions (European Commission); and the private sector (Frontier Economics Ltd).
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PAULINE KOELBL
SENIOR ADVISOR
Pauline is Founder and Managing Partner of ShEquity, a gender-smart investment firm dedicated to closing the gender funding gap in Africa and driving systemic change. Pauline’s passion for inclusive growth and sustainable development is at the core of her work. Having lived, studied, and worked across three continents (Africa, Europe and North America), Pauline is strategically well positioned to serve as a bridge between the global south and the global north.