Tomorrow (October 11) is the International Day of the Girl Child, and this year’s theme is GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable! As UNICEF shares,
Today, girls are moving from dreaming to achieving. More are attending and completing school, fewer are getting married or becoming mothers while still children, and more are gaining the skills they need to excel in the future world of work. Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. As entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements, girls are leading and fostering a world that is relevant for them and future generations.
In honor of this day, we’re sharing a round-up of some of our girls who’ve surmounted incredible barriers and broken into new territory–proving that they too are unscripted, and unstoppable!
Tipsuda
From a shy girl to a powerful leader, Tipsuda not only leads her peers in groups and activities, she also has served as their protector. Using knowledge she has gained by participating in our “3-3-5” workshops which teach kids about preventing child abuse, she protected a friend who was being solicited by a potential exploiter. She proves she is the vanguard of a generation learning to be safer and more aware online.
Blah
Despite many setbacks and hardships that led her to drop out of school at an early age, after she joined The Freedom Story, Blah surmounted obstacles that would have daunted any young child. She perservered–all the way through university. She proves that no matter the circumstances that once led to quitting, determination can make a girl unstoppable.
Ratana
Being the first in your family to not only finish primary school, but also to go on to university is an incredible challenge. When you reach a level so high, there is no one who can guide you, it can be a very lonely and frightening place. With the support of The Freedom Story, Ratana did not let herself become daunted by her fears. She used the resources available to her to perserve and thrive. She wandered into what was for her whole family uncharted territory, and proved herself unstoppable.
These are just a few of the amazing girls supported by our programs! If you want to make sure these promising young women continue breaking barriers and help bring change to their communities: in girls who are educated, empowered, and empowering others around them, consider joining a Freedom Chapter!
