The other Malalas: girl activists in the developing world

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionalsnetwork/interactive/2013/dec/12/other-malalas-girl-activists-developing-worldinteractive
The other Malalas: girl activists in the developing world - interactive
What's it like to campaign to reduce illiteracy, sexual harassment or teenage pregnancy
in your own community and why is it so important that the voices of girls are heard? We
ask 12 girls under the age of 20 what they are fighting for and why

Anna Leach and Sam O'Neill

Guardian Professional, Thursday 12 December 2013 15.32 GMT

The story of a girl activist - Ethiopia

"I created a resource mobilization project called Pencil Mountain that has delivered
over half a million school resources to Ethiopian children," Hannah Godefa, 15

Every action for change counts, no matter how small, says Hannah. Photograph: Unicef

When I was seven years old, I visited my parents' rural hometown of Axum, and was
staying with my grandmother. There was a young girl around my age there, and I
became very good friends with her. Before I left, I wanted to keep in touch with her as a
pen pal, but my parents explained to me that she did not have the pencils or materials
to do so.
I knew in that moment that advocating for girls like me to have equal opportunities in
education would be an important part of my life. I created a resource mobilisation
project called Pencil Mountain that has delivered over half a million school resources to
Ethiopian children.

Girls living in rural areas of Ethiopia are treated as an asset. A family values a girl for
her ability to work. Girls do not have equal access to education with boys. There is a
great disparity in literacy and if a parent has an opportunity to choose between sending
a boy or girl to school, it is almost always the boy that is chosen.
The most difficult challenge I've faced is promoting this idea to rural communities where
it a conflict of interest for community leaders. Tradition dictates that young girls at my
age should be married, or stay home and support the family. It is not always easy to
break through this mentality. However, the leadership in Ethiopia, and several NGOs
have committed themselves to changing this longstanding mindset.
Biggest challenge: It's been hard to balance my school and my advocacy work. I have
learned to put my own education first, so that I can create a bigger impact later on. I
strongly believe that every action for change, no matter how small, counts.
Proudest moment: I met Canada's prime minister, Stephen Harper and the Ethiopian
prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn. They are in a great position to implement
change in educational rights.
My greatest achievement was being named Unicef goodwill ambassador for Ethiopia,
because I have had an opportunity to bring a girl's voice to an international level and
raise awareness about education issues.

The story of a girl activist - India

"After being harassed by a man on the way to school I wanted to stop girls and women
from experiencing similar incidents in the future," says Shalu Shrivastava, 17

Shalu Shrivastava, centre, wants to campaign for women's rights across India. Photograph: Oxfam India

When I was 12 a carpenter would tease, follow and harass me on my way to the
school. I tried to avoid him but the situation became dire when he started making lewd
comments about me. One day, he pulled down my dupatta [head and shoulder scarf]
and I was really shaken up. I told him to stop harassing me; sometimes I warned him
he would face serious consequences, but he did not take it seriously. He kept on doing
it, so sometimes I would skip school to avoid him.

Because of that, I decided to quit school. My family asked me why, so I had to tell them
everything. They said the man shouldn't stop me from going to school and decided to
file a complaint with the school's head teacher. The school did nothing so we decided
to confront the man and his family. They denied it and said it was my fault for
encouraging him. We spoke to a panchayat [local government representative] but they
also failed to resolve the issue.
After that, my family contacted Oxfam India's project Empowerment For Rehabilitation
Academic and Health. They encouraged us to file a police complaint, which led to the
successful arrest of my tormentor. After going through this challenge, I decided to join
Efrah and fight for the rights of women and girls. I want to stop girls and women from
suffering such problems in future.
Girls in our community face various dire challenges. They are always fearful about their
safety while going to school or market. There is always fear of sexual harassment,
teasing and domestic violence. They do not feel safe in this society.
Biggest challenge: In the beginning, people judged what I was doing negatively; they
objected to my family and I doing any kind of campaigning. But that just motivated me
to work hard and make the campaign successful.
Proudest moment: Recently, I was interviewed for All India Radio's programme on
harassment in public places, which gave me a good opportunity to share my
experiences and raise awareness. My future goal is to campaign throughout Delhi. In
the next five to 10 years I want to conduct campaigns across the country so that every
woman in India knows their rights and are empowered to fight for justice.

The story of a girl activist - Belize

"Accurate, fun and interactive information about teenage pregnancy helps girls make
better and more informed decisions," says Thandiwe Diego, 14

Fourteen-year-old Thandiwe Diego works to improve the self-esteem of girls in her Garifuna community in
Belize. Photograph: UN Foundation

My fight is for the empowerment of the girls in my community, through information,

education and exposure to positive ideas.
Biggest challenge: Most girls in my community are poor. Most of them don't have
access to the internet and other basic things such as food, water and electricity. Some
of them live in abusive and dysfunctional homes. These factors stunt the girls'
emotional, intellectual and physical growth.
Proudest moment: We broaden the girls' experiences by creating a traditional
Garifuna [people of African and indigenous origin living in central America] singing
group. We learn songs in Garifuna and sing them at the annual Garifuna Settlement
Day re-enactment. Experiences such as these give the girls the chance to shine and be
noticed positively by the whole community.
Accurate, fun and interactive information helps the girls to make better and more
informed decisions. Higher self-esteem is also a big part of our fight to empower girls
because they are poor many of them are sneered at by the rest of the community. With
higher self-esteem the girls can allow themselves to dream big.
When you have accurate information you tend to be more confident and are more likely
to make better decisions. We use this philosophy in our fight to minimise the number of
teenage pregnancies affecting the girls in the community.
When a girl gets pregnant most cannot go back to school, either because the school
won't accept them or because of the burden of raising a child. Without education the
girls most likely won't be able to achieve their career goal or get a decent paying job,
thus continuing the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and exploitation.

The story of a girl activist - Rwanda

"I started getting interested in women's rights when I realised that I was facing cultural
stereotypes about my inability to work in the sciences," says Celeste Dushime, 18

Celeste Dushime says that tradition, rather than government, is keeping women disempowered in
Rwanda. Photograph: UN Foundation

In Rwanda, we have one of the most encouraging governments when it comes to

empowering women. However, the ties that keep women down are mostly cultural.
There isn't a lack of opportunities for women in Rwanda; there is a lack of will among
Rwandan women to use those opportunities. That's what I fight to change.
I started getting interested in women's rights when I realised that I was facing cultural
stereotypes about my inability to work in the sciences. The government does a lot to
change that, but traditions that have held on for years can't be changed overnight.
Biggest challenge: I knew something needed to be done but nothing I could do
seemed meaningful enough to change anything. That's when I read many books about
challenges that women face worldwide, such as Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and A
Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon. I started to see the problem as more global, but it
made me feel more helpless.
Then I heard of the UN foundation Girl Up. After seeing a global problem, I saw that
there might actually be a global solution coming from people of my age. This was the
encouragement I needed to start working in my community.
Proudest moment: After that time, with the help of a friend, I opened a girl
empowerment organisation. Our goal was to give seminars to younger girls to give a
voice to the younger students and to form a united front of young girls ready to fight for
every single other young woman who can't fight for themselves.
Even if it's a small change, I know that small change will bring a big change in some
people's lives, and that's all I hope for.

The story of a girl activist - Egypt

"I'm fighting for: peace, civil rights, freedom, justice, women's rights I'm fighting for my
utopia," says Yara Hady, 17

Yara Hady, left, started teaching girls science in an under-privileged area of Cairo after the Egyptian
revolution. Photograph: Yara Hady

Before 25 January 2011, people like me were living in a bubble. Yes, some of us were
more socially and politically aware than others, but we had far too much ego. Most of
my generation who are more entitled than the majority looked down on everyone else.
We wanted things better, but we were thinking in terms of secularism, freedom of
speech and constitution. The people wanted better salaries, better bread and better
medical insurance. This gap was the reason that none of our demonstrations before
then had much of an effect.
Social media was the answer. This tool was a way of involving others. And so on 25
January 2011, we chanted "bread, freedom, social justice". Suddenly, it wasn't 3040,000 15 to 25-year-olds, it was a revolution! The people had managed to change the
course of history. Since then I know exactly what I'm fighting for: peace, civil rights,
freedom, justice, women's rights I'm fighting for my utopia. The revolution taught me
not to compromise on what's right or settle for any less.
Biggest challenge: In terms of women's rights Egypt may be slightly better (with the
emphasis on slightly) than the rest of the Middle East, but the way women are treated
is still nothing short of disgraceful. There's an old saying that says women only have
three homes: their family's, their husband's and the grave. Women are often told that
sexual harassment and rape is their fault, because they're wearing revealing clothes,
because they're not veiled, because they laugh loudly, or just because men are never
wrong.
Not too long after the revolution, when I was 15, I started working for an organisation
advocating women's rights. I was assigned to tutor an all-girls' middle school in an
under-privileged area. I was teaching them science, particularly physics, and it was
hard to get them interested.
Proudest moment: I was teaching the most exciting thing in history (physics is
awesome, just saying) and no-one paid attention. As the semester progressed, some
girls started responding. One girl in particular grew almost as enthusiastic about
dynamics as I am. Finally, one day at the end of the semester, I asked if this class had
changed the way any of them saw science, physics, Egypt and girls. One girl replied
that she wanted to pursue a higher level education in aerospace engineering, another
told me how surprisingly exciting she found special relativity. I felt nothing but utter
happiness and pride.

The story of a girl activist - Malawi

"Through my youth group we managed to rescue a friend who was married off to a man
for money,' says Yaweta, 15

Attending a children's club organised by Plan Malawi helped Yaweta realise her rights. Photograph: Plan
Malawi

Many girls in my community are viewed as a burden to their parents. People refer to
girls as lower status people. Most people believe it's a waste of money to invest in a
girl's education, they would rather marry her off to receive dowry from the husband.
Most girls in my community end up becoming mothers, some as young as 14.
Most school environments are not girl-friendly, with no washrooms suitable for girls. In
most schools in my community girls end up going home when they need to use the
bathroom and they will not come back to school to complete that day's lessons.
Other main problems are forced early marriages and lack of proper information and
access to sexual reproductive health among the youth. However, Plan Malawi is now
pioneering the availability of youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information
in the community that will help girls make more informed decisions.
Plan Malawi's involvement with our children's club opened my eyes and helped me to
realise my rights. From there on I developed a passion for fighting and protecting the
rights of my fellow youth and children, especially the most vulnerable.
Biggest challenge: In my community it's not easy for the elder people to listen to a
young girl like me. Sometimes some authorities such as the police do not take us
seriously when we report cases of child abuse, so we rely mostly on our community
volunteers to reach such people so that our voices are heard.
I'm still young and working hard to attain my higher secondary education school, just
like most girls in the community. I do not come from a well to do family, I also struggle
to find school fees but I'm grateful that my parents support me and my brothers equally.
Proudest moment: Through my youth group we managed to rescue one of our friends
who was married off to a man because her parents had owed him money. We reported
this to the head teacher and the police through a community volunteer.
My personal goal is to complete secondary school and go as far as university level, as
very few girls make it to university in my community. I would like to see most girls in my
community complete secondary school rather than being married off.

The story of a girl activist - the Philippines

"The biggest challenge in my advocacy work has been planning and funding," says
Nafieza Mohammad, 17

Nafieza, right, has been involved in environmental campaigns in the Philippines since she was 12 years
old. Photograph: Nafieza Mohammad

The devastation faced by my country today from the strong storms moves me to do
more for the Philippines. I would like to concentrate more on environmental and peace
building activities and to fight against the apathy of people.
I am proud to say I have been an active environmental fighter since I was 12 years old
by involving myself with organisations such as the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Youth
Solidarity for Peace, the Red Cross, the 9th National Youth Parliament and Philippine
Youth Leadership Program.
Proudest moment: Five years ago I took part in my first big environment project to
clear up the rubbish on a corner bend in our community. People were amazed that
young girls like me can work to make a difference in this world. The honour we felt on
the completion of the project inspired me to do more for mother Earth.
My passion was intensified by seminars and leadership trainings on climate change
which I was fortunate enough to attend. They moved me to organise tree plantings and
cleaning activities in the different areas of our city. We braved the heat of the sun and
dirtied our hands as we placed seedlings in the ground to ensure more trees for the
next generation. I learned that partnership between government and citizens leads to
development.
Recently I was proud to work on a project tackling the plastic bottles in Zamboanga
City where I live. The project has three phases: a one-day environmental
photojournalism workshop; a photography exhibition in schools, malls and government
offices and education about how to recycle plastic bottles, such as using them for
seaweed floaters. It's alarming to know that according to a study plastic bottles take
400 years to decompose.

Biggest challenge: Since the start of my advocacy work the difficult parts for me are
the planning stage and funding. So far, that is what I find most challenging.
Nevertheless I have learned that if there is a will then there is a way.

The story of a girl activist - Sierra Leone

"Sharing my experience gave me the confidence to advocate for other young mothers
like me," Fatimata, 19

It's important to realise life doesn't end as a result of teenage motherhood, says Fatimata. Photograph:
Forward

In Waterloo community, girls are not treated fairly. They see a lot of sexual harassment
and often are beaten by men. Many girls have cheapened their lives because they
have become involved with prostitution and going to clubs to meet men where they
drink, smoke and are put at risk from sexual predators.
Biggest challenge: My own personal biggest challenge was the moment I found out I
was pregnant. I was young and had to drop out of school to become a teenage mother.
I thought it was the end of my life. I couldn't live with myself. I had no financial help,
and didn't want to be like other girls on the streets. I needed to do something.
I was inspired to start campaigning because of the work that Forward and G2G (girl to
girl empowerment movement) has taught me that life doesn't end as a result of
teenage motherhood. I was taught that you can achieve anything with a little hard work.
Sharing my experience gave me the confidence to advocate for others just like me. I
learned that you have the power in you to make a difference.
Proudest moment: By the grace of God I managed to return to education. Also,
thanks to Forward, I got to travel on an aeroplane for the first time to another country,
something someone like me would have never had the opportunity to do usually.
We went to Ghana to meet other girls who work on similar issues there. I am pleased
to be part of this work as I can help women in my community and I get the opportunity
to speak with other young women like me to tell them that they don't have to be victims.

In the next year, I want to complete my Wace (West African Counsel Examination)
examination and go to university. In the next five years, I wish to learn and visit other
places. Finally, 10 years from now I wish to live a life away from poverty, as a normal
proud young woman.
Fatimata's name has been changed at the request of Forward.

The story of a girl activist Nepal

"When we talk about women in business it is about more than sewing, knitting and
household work," Menuka Gurung, 19

After studying business in Thailand, Menuka Gurung wants to return to Nepal to transform society through
social enterprise. Photograph: Ewen Bell

I was born and raised in Kathmandu. My parents moved to the capital from a village
after they got married. Although they didn't get a chance to study, they made sure that
my sister and I got the opportunity.
My grandmother wanted a grandson from my father. She was disappointed when I was
born because I was the second child and they expected a son. Though my father was
her eldest son, she never showed love towards us because she expected a grandson. I
felt sad about this. However later I realised that this is not just my story; there are a lot
of people who have faced gender inequality.
The first challenge a girl faces is her own family. Nowadays, more people support girls'
education in Nepal. However, there are still a lot of uneducated families who have no
idea about education and women's rights.
If we want equality then we need to involve boys as well as girls in advocacy. The boys
should know how girls feel when they are teased, or when the boys are allowed to go
out but girls have to stay at home after 7pm.
Biggest challenge: Balancing my studies with extra-curricular activities is one of my
biggest challenges. My parents were happy to see how concerned I was about

women's rights and my activities in community, but they always had a fear that it might
affect my studies.
Proudest moment: Organising a flashmob with Hollaback, which campaigns to end
street harassment, was one of my proudest moments. More than anything, for me
being a part of Women Lead, the first and only leadership organisation for young
women in Nepal, makes me proud. As a trainee and as an intern, I was able to interact
with people from different backgrounds and spread the word about women's
empowerment and at the same time learn from their experiences.
Currently, I am an undergraduate in Webster university in Thailand, majoring in
management and international business. I want to pursue a career in social
entrepreneurship. My dream is to transform Nepalese society through responsible
solution-oriented business.
When we talk about women in business it is about more than sewing, knitting and
household work. Some people in Nepal feel that women can't go beyond that. I want to
change their misconception about women in business and as a whole.

The story of a girl activist - Nigeria

"I want to be able to persuade people in power that girls' education is important," says
Simon Abigail, 15

Simon Abigail speaks to teenage mothers in her community and tries to persuade them to come back to
school. Photograph: Kate Holt

When I finish school I want to become a footballer. I love football and think that girls are
better players than boys. But If I am not good enough to play football professionally
then I would like to be a journalist. This is because I want to have more information
about things that the government hides from us. This happens a lot in Nigeria.
I want to be able to influence people in power. For example, when you see an orphan I
want politicians to take responsibility for the needy and for those who can't afford to pay

their children's school fees. The government should bring more facilities to schools so
that we are able to better learn subjects such as science. We also need more practical
lessons so we learn outside of what is in the books. Science, technology and art are
not taught properly because we can't practise them.
Biggest challenge: In girls club we act out dramas about the effects of not educating
girls. We present our dramas in educational colleges and in our community. I have
been visiting one girl who is pregnant to explain to her that after she has the baby she
needs to try to come back to school. We will see once she has the baby if she has
listened to me, although it will be hard for her because I don't know who will look after
her baby. Some girls find it hard to read because they haven't been taught well so
they don't see the point in continuing with secondary school.
Proudest moment: There is one girl in the school who gave birth to a baby girl and I
went to visit her and spoke to her family. She has just returned to school and now a
member of the girls club. She is very good at advocating for us.
I think the more girls we gather together the more power we will have. My ambition is to
be able to talk to a Nigerian politician and tell them the importance of girls' education in
Nigeria. I have a lot of hope for girls' education in Nigeria, but we need to keep
campaigning and encouraging more girls to stay longer in school.

The story of a girl activist - Fiji

"I want to change the mindset of young girls to help them see that they can achieve so
much, even after they drop out of school," says Ana Waqatabu Liganisulu, 19

A campaign for equal rights for women in Fiji inspired Ana Waqatabu Liganisulu to see more opportunities
for herself and her peers. Photograph: ICAAD Global

Being a young woman growing up in a rural community in Fiji has always been a
challenge. How I view this challenge has changed since I became a part of Roshika

Deo Be the Change, a campaign for equal representation, equal rights and treatment,
equal access to basic necessities.
Since we women, youth and children represent more than half of the country's
population, we believe we have the right to be heard and have a say in everything that
concerns us. That is what I am fighting for.
In my community girls are seen as fragile and we do not have a say in village meetings.
When we speak, we are growled at for speaking up and told to be a "girl" and to sit
quietly and listen to elders. Also when a teenage girl is pregnant she is pointed at and
not the other party she is driven out of school while the guy walks about freely.
The main challenges faced by girls in my community is that they don't have options or
second chances. Once they fail school they have no other option but to stay home and
help out with the household chores. Also they are not motivated by their parents.
I want to change the mindset of young girls to help them see that they can achieve so
much, even after they drop out of school. Their lives do not always have to revolve
around their home and domestic duties. I want them to realise that their voice is as
important as their elders.
Biggest challenge: The lack of co-operation from the girls themselves because they
adhere more to what they are told rather than what they want.
Proudest moment: Seeing young men join our group to fight for equality.

The story of a girl activist - Afghanistan

"Although girls are treated as second class citizens in my community, we should not
forget that Afghanistan's situation is changing," says Farkhonda Tahery, 16

Farkhonda Tahery believes that disrespectful cultural traditions can be overcome through education.
Photograph: Frozan Tahery

According to Newton's rule, an object stays the in same state unless a force affects it.
Social phenomena have the same characteristics. I started campaigning to be a small
force to change the pattern of women's lives in Afghanistan.
Living in Afghanistan as a girl and observing the situation for women has made me
want to affect change. Also, witnessing the effect of outspoken women on the situation
has been another inspiration to start campaigning.
Although girls are treated as second class citizens in my community, we should not
forget that Afghanistan's situation is changing. In parallel with the changes in
Afghanistan, the situation for women is getting better.
Biggest challenge: Girls in our community face disrespectful cultural traditions. For
instance, daughters are sometimes given to a murder victim's family as blood money.
Additionally, the economical dependency of girls to their family creates a lot of issues.
And girls in most parts of Afghanistan do not have access to education, which starts a
series of problems.
The most difficult obstacle is that women themselves accept their current situation and
do not help us to help them. This is because they are illiterate and cannot think of a
different life. So illiteracy is the biggest challenge for people who fight for women's
rights.
Proudest moment: My two friends and I took part in a culture exchange programme
with three displaced boys from Helmand. We talked to them about women in Islam and
they, who did not accept girls as human before, started to believe that girls should be
educated. They convinced their parents to let their sisters study.
My short-term goals are to improve my book club, make a public library in Dasht-eBarchi in Kabul, major in political science and international relations and get a masters
and a doctorate.
My long-term goals are to join a political party, teach at Kabul university, create an
association of women writers, found a political party and work as politician in the
Afghanistan government.