The MENA-USA Empowering Resilient Girls Exchange (MERGE) inspires participants to learn about their own mental health and develop emotional resilience skills – and, in turn, share this knowledge with their communities through a public-facing website.

MERGE is a series of eight-week open enrollment virtual exchanges for 15-19 year old girls in the United States and the Middle East/North Africa. Participants explore, learn, and share practical approaches to building mental resilience within themselves and their communities. Participants are introduced to each other and their small group facilitator through a variety of cultural exchange activities. The next five weeks are devoted to introducing a range of stress-relief and coping techniques, which the participants experiment with individually and in small groups. Specific techniques include journaling, exercise, meditation, positive thoughts and affirmations, and nutrition. Participants will learn about the science behind each strategy and why building these skills in themselves and their communities is beneficial. During the exchange’s final two weeks, participants will work in five-person teams, with the guidance of their facilitator, to showcase their newfound knowledge by creating an entry for the program’s culminating mental resilience strategies website.