Munkhjargalzaya, 16, has taken part in the Child Participation Leading Council for two years. "My lips are moving, but no sound seems to be coming out. I keep yelling inside my head, yet the only syllable coming out is ‘Errr’ or ‘Umm’. My palms are sweating… I feel like I am about to throw up and my body starts tensing up. I want to speak, I want to express! But my body is failing me; my eyes are tearing up and my voice starts shaking. The fear of public speaking is one of the most common phobias for many people," says Munkhjargalzaya.

"By joining the Child Participation Leading Committee of Smiling Club, organised by World Vision Mongolia, my public speaking skills have improved significantly," says Munkhjargalzaya, who joined the Smiling Club two years ago to challenge herself and to overcome her fears. Today, she is the leader of the Club!

"I used to be very quiet. A little bit nerdy and introverted. In those days, I would usually stay at home after school," tells Munkhjargalzaya. "Some members of the club visited our school and introduced this committee to us. I signed up for it but did not expect this much change in myself."

The Smiling Club organises many activities to enhance child participation and make children’s voices heard. "We had a flash mob dance to advocate for a cleaner and healthier environment. By joining the committee, my improved public speaking is not the only reward. Now, I also influence my peers and encourage their participation so that their voices can be heard," shares Munkhjargalzaya inspiringly.

Munkhjargalzaya is representing Mongolia at the 3rd International Youth Leadership Conference in Malaysia this upcoming October. Currently, Munkhjargalzaya is pursuing her dream to become a psychologist and a journalist and got accepted to the University.

Munkhjargalzaya changed from a quiet girl into an empowered, confident and outgoing girl. There is a saying that "the start is half the deed". If she did not take the first steps to overcome her fears of public speaking, she might still be the same old quiet girl of two years ago. Now, she has the confidence to chase after her passions and the ability to express her opinions effectively.