Janfe’s voice: a 14-year-old girl making an impact through rugby

From a small Barangay in Negros Occidental, Philippines, 14-year-old Janfe is learning that her voice can help friends, change minds, and bring people together. Through Pass It Back, she is learning that anyone can make an impact.

When Janfe joined Pass It Back in July 2024, rugby was new to her. She had only ever watched other children play from the sidelines. So when Coaches visited her school to recruit players, she didn’t hesitate.

“I remember asking if I could join,” she said. “I really wanted to try. I was so curious about rugby.”

Soon, she discovered that Pass It Back was about more than sport. Each session combined games with life skills learning, such as setting goals, solving problems, and building respect. Her Coaches didn’t just train the team; they listened, laughed, and made sure everyone felt welcome.

That sense of belonging was important for Janfe, who had always been shy. “Before, I just stayed quiet and followed what my friends did,” she said. “Even if I didn’t agree, I kept silent because I was scared they’d leave me.”

One day, that silence was tested. At school, she saw some of her friends mocking another girl - a fellow Pass It Back player - for how she looked and spoke. “I knew what my friends were doing was wrong,” Janfe said, “but I got scared. I didn’t say anything. I just walked away.”

That moment stayed with her. During the next session, her Coach, Nica, noticed that she seemed upset and sat with her after training. “She asked how I felt about people being bullied and no one helping them,” Janfe remembered. “I said I felt really bad and sorry for the person, and I wish someone could help her. Then she asked, ‘Don’t you think you can help them?’ That question made me think.”

Over the following days, Janfe talked with Coach Nica and another Coach, Rachelle. They helped her reflect on the kind of friend she wanted to be. Her friends had been close since primary school, and she didn’t want to lose them - but she also knew staying silent wasn’t right.

The next day, her heart was racing as she approached them. “My hands were shaking,” she said. “But I told them how what they said had hurt someone. I said it wasn’t just teasing - it was bullying. I told them we don’t always know what people are going through, and that we should be kind to everyone.”

At first, her friends argued that it was just a joke. But as she kept on sharing her thoughts, they began to listen. Eventually, they apologised - first to her, then to the girl they had bullied. That girl later joined their group, and together they built a new friendship.

For Janfe, it was a turning point. “I used to think I had to stay quiet to keep my friends,” she said. “Now I know speaking up can make things better.”

She has also started using her voice at home. When her younger cousin accidentally spilled water on some school papers and was shouted at, she spoke up.

“I want to keep speaking up,” she said. “Not just when something’s wrong, but when someone needs support. I know now that my voice can help.”

Her Coaches have seen that change too. They watched her grow from a quiet, hesitant player into a young leader with empathy, confidence, and strength - someone who leads through care, not volume.

Janfe’s story shows what can happen when girls are given the space to learn, to grow, and to be heard.

On this International Day of the Girl, we celebrate girls like Janfe who use their voices to make their communities fairer, kinder, and stronger, and we recognise the power of sport to create space that supports safe action.

Through initiatives like Pass It Back , girls in the Philippines and beyond are finding opportunities to play, to learn, and to build confidence that reaches far beyond the pitch. The lessons Janfe learned didn’t stay on the field, they’ve become part of how she lives, how she listens, and how she cares for others.

Story originally developed by Ellen Tribunsay, Negros Island Rugby Club Development Officer, Philippine Rugby Football Union