Meet Gloria Mubita, Leader of the Girls Stand Up Club

Faced with raising a child on her own, Gloria knew she must be strong. She wanted a better life and hoped to help girls make good choices for themselves. Her dream came true when she was selected to be the “Aunty” of the GSGC-sponsored Girls Stand Up Club in Livingstone, Zambia. This was the opportunity she had been waiting for; a chance to reach out to young girls and help them achieve their dreams. Read on to learn more about Gloria and her successful club.

Gloria, now 27, worked hard to develop her career. She grew up in Lusaka, Zambia, and she and her siblings were raised by their father after their mother passed away. After Gloria’s son was born in 2008, she volunteered with a local non-profit organization, attended workshops and training sessions focused on youth empowerment and community development, and became a facilitator and counselor.

In 2015, Gloria led seven girls from Girls Stand Up Club on a career guidance tour in Lusaka, Zambia. The girls met many prominent Zambian women working in medicine, arts and crafts, the hospitality industry and education. The girls were amazed and challenged by the entrepreneurial skills, self-motivation and tenacity displayed by these fearless women.

In the Livingstone area, only 6% of girls graduate from secondary school. However, Gloria recently learned that all seven senior girls from the club passed their finals! This was, Gloria stated, “the best news she had heard in a long time!” She is now even more enthusiastic about her work and hopes that through the club she can change the lives of more girls. Gloria has started working with a new group of young and energetic girls in grades 8 through 12. The girls meet with Gloria every Tuesday and Thursday at St. Mary’s Catholic Girls School and are on their way to becoming strong, educated women.