The Shona Project: Building strong girls from the inside out 

Body image, self-confidence and mental health are among the top stressors for girls aged 12 to 19.  The constant stream of advertising on social media is undermining their self-belief, says The Shona Project founder Tammy Darcy  

Almost eight in 10 teen girls in Ireland don’t ‘feel beautiful’ while almost 60% agree they’ve worries or anxieties nobody knows about.

In the years since Tammy Darcy set up the Shona Project, she has spoken with more than 25,000 girls in every corner of Ireland. So she knows they’re struggling — “already there’s an anxiety epidemic” — but some new statistics have shocked even her.

Research conducted by the Shona Project — with the Youth Lab and the Irish Secondary Schools Union — found almost eight in 10 teen girls in Ireland don’t ‘feel beautiful’. Almost 60% agree they’ve worries or anxieties nobody knows about. And 80% don’t feel they’ll have the same opportunities as boys.