Christine Amour-Levar - Tour de Force

In her new book, social entrepreneur and philanthropist Christine Amour-Levar discusses the life lessons she gleaned from leading hundreds of women on phenomenal expeditions around the world. She shares what it takes to continually inspire those around her

- Annabel Tan

All her life, Christine Amour‑Levar has counted herself lucky. The French-Swiss Filipina grew up in the Philippines surrounded by poverty, but her family was well‑off and she led a privileged life attending international schools in Manila. Athletic and competitive from a young age, she pursued her passion for sports and landed her dream job with Nike in the US doing international marketing.

The job took her to various cities around the world and eventually brought her to Singapore, where the mother of four has been based since 2005. Shortly after leaving Nike, Amour‑Levar met her friend Valerie Boffy here, whom she credits for kick‑starting her philanthropy journey.

In 2012, Boffy climbed the summit of Mount Everest, where she unfolded a banner in support of Women for Women International, a charity she had been volunteering with that helps female survivors of war and conflict. Learning of her friend’s feat was a jarring moment for Amour‑Levar, who is also a consultant and an advisor specialising in sustainability and female empowerment.

“To see someone doing something so brave in support of other women really woke me up,” she says. “This came at a time when everything was falling into place in my life and I was happy, but maybe there was something missing. There was something more that I could do. I realised that I needed to use my skills and experience to support women who don’t have the privileges I have. I could use my love of sports, my love of adventure, and my experience in marketing and communication to be an advocate for these women.”

BLAZING THE TRAIL