International Day of the Girl – Global and GSGC Girls Club Style

On October 11, the world celebrated what GSGC celebrates every day: the potential and value of girls.

Michelle Obama launched a new global initiative focused on providing girls access to education; Nobel Peace Prize recipient Malala Yousafzai raised awareness for building schools where girls are unlikely to go beyond an elementary education; and the United Nations announced new investments that provide opportunities for girls to attain skills for employability.

And on the ground in Southern Africa, GSGC-sponsored girls and boys clubs brought together their peers and communities to celebrate girls, education and gender equality.

In Mfuwe, Auntie Fwilane (Project Luangwa) and Auntie Kalinda (Yosefe) collaborated to create a large community event. Girls from the three Project Luangwa Girls’ Clubs were joined by PL Boys’ Club members in a celebration of drama, poems and songs on this year’s UN theme: With Her: A Skilled Girlforce. Members of the Yosefe Girls’ Club also performed drama and poetry and sponsored a gender awareness performance by SEKA drama group. The celebration was attended by over 150 invited girls and guests including HRH Chief Kakumbi, whose own granddaughter is a member of one of our clubs, and a large number of mums and kids from the community.

Auntie Gloria, and girls of Believe Club in Livingstone, worked with the administration at St. Mary’s School to create the first school-wide celebration of International Day of the Girl. Administrators had not heard of the annual global event. Dancing, poetry and fun imitations of teachers set a festive mood, and an awards ceremony celebrated accomplishments.

Believe Club members won school awards for Most Hard Working, Most Generous, Best Prefect, and Best in Mathematics. And a special award was presented toBelieve Club for its contributions to the school. To help celebrate, Auntie Gloria had a special photo cake delivered depicting the members of the club. And as a perfect example of the girls’ grace and generosity, everyone agreed to wait a few days until ALL the girls were able to celebrate together.