Girl Up Vine Club Sierra Leone

Today at Girl Up we prepped for International Women’s Day!

We discussed this year’s theme and the progress of the Women’s movement over the years as well as our hopes and desires as we become women.

Today at Girl Up, we took a break from our Entrepreneurship & Innovation module and talked about

The girls wrote a love letter to themselves and learned about the 5 love languages:

❤️ physical touch
❤️ acts of service
❤️ words of affirmation
❤️ receiving gifts
❤️ quality time

What’s your language?

Ours is ACTS OF SERVICE! 🤗

Today at Girl Up, the girls continued their discussion on Female Ge***al Mutilation (FGM) and other forms of Sexual Gender Based Violence that it leads to.

As the girls are still doing their Entrepreneurship & Innovation module, they also dissected their business ideas and formed groups to develop their ideas and to start creating their business plans.

Today as we commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM around the world we emphasize the following:

🔴 FGM is an unnecessary procedure rooted in no religion customs but purely cultural by non-health professionals using unsterilized equipment.

🔴 FGM is a human rights violation as it coerces girls and women to give up bodily autonomy.

🔴 9 out of 10 women and girls in Sierra Leone are cut

Today at Girl Up, the girls discussed Female Ge***al Mutilation (FGM) and now women + girls coerced to undergo the blade are stripped of their fundamental rights to dignity and bodily autonomy.

Next week is Zero Tolerance to - February 6. Join in solidarity to take a stance against FGM!

Girls just wanna have FUNdamental rights! 💪🏾

Today at Girl Up the girls are developing their business idea as part of their Entrepreneurship & Innovation module from January - March 2022 and are working in teams to achieve their goals.

Today Girl Up turns 6! 💃🏾

Our girls were all smiles today as they completed their session on and today.

They wrote down their business ideas and the support they would need to make it happen. Over the next few weeks they’ll be developing a baby and bringing their idea to reality.

We look forward to nurturing their journey!

Yesterday we resumed our for the new year! In this quarter (January - March 2022) our final cohort will be trained in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and learn about financial empowerment.

“I want to live in a world that is safe for me and my children to come, that is why 16 Days of Activism is important to me!” — Dibe Curtis

“Ending violence against women is not just about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is a basic human right” — Adama Kamara

Ok Friday, December 10 2021 we will be hosting a What Was She Wearing? Exhibition to end in collaboration with , , , & !

We look forward to having our panel discussion on dismantling r**e culture and victim blaming and showcasing our exhibition filled with powerful stories by survivors.

Tickets can be bought via Orange Money +23278280081 or 📍: The Beauty Bar, 25 Wilkinson Road.

Tickets in advance: Le 50,000 (Regular), Le 100,000 (Patron comes with snacks and a drink)

Tickets at the door: Le 75,000 (Regular), Le 150,000 (Patron)

Donations are also welcome

“By building a safer world for women we are closer to ending violence against women!” — Precious Thullah

“16 Days of Activism is for the women before us, those now and the future women”

“16 Days of Activism is important today, tomorrow and always. As long as we continue to live in a world that doesn’t protect more than of its population” — Jane Koroma

“16 Days of Activism teaches me that until women’s equality is achieved there is not real development” — Adiatu Jalloh.

“We are tired. End violence against women NOW” — Fatu Bangura

16DaysOfActivism

“16 Days of Activism makes me grateful for the sacrifices of the women before me and teaches me how to spread the message on to the future generation” — Jane Conteh

“16 Days Of Activism tells me that my body is mine and mine alone” — Adiatu Bindil

“16 Days of Activism shows us that no matter what a woman is wearing she does not deserve to be sexually assaulted.” — Ahmidnatu Kamara

 

Today at Girl Up, our girls were all smiles as they concluded their open and clear communication module in the Girl Up curriculum. At Girl Up, we would have built the capacity of 200 girls directly through our club and 1000 youth (boys and girls) indirectly through our workshops and trainings come June 30 2022. It has been a phenomenal journey since our inception in January 2016 and we looking forward to the coming months as we continue to work with and support our last cohort.

At Girl Up, we believe in investing in leaders who will be bold and strong communicators in their communities.

“16 Days of Activism teaches us that girls need to be girls and be empowered if not she may grow up to become a broken and disempowered woman” — Mariama R. Kamara

“16 Days of Activism is important because it gives courage, determination and hope to survivors” — Mabinty Sesay

“16 Days of Activism raises awareness of sexual@violence against women and supports victims and survivors to tell their stories” — Precious Brewa.

“It is NOW time to say end Gender Based Violence (GBV) because women deserve to be treated equally and protected in their homes and under the law” — Assiatu Jalloh

“16 Days of Activism raises awareness of the different forms of violence and that violence is not only physical, sexual or emotional: there is psychological, economical and cultural violence too” - Fatmata Quee

“16 Days Of Activism is important because it teaches and informs us of our rights as tels who will become women in our communities. It also teaches us to stand for each other in and out of the country” — Gladis Ansumana

 

Today marks the beginning of with this year’s theme: End Violence Against Women NOW!

This year, our members of our final cohort decided to write what means to them and why it is importance to raise awareness of violence against women.

Over the course of the 16 days we will share each of their quotes.

Today at Girl Up, our final cohort reflected on the importance of the upcoming 16 Days of Activism and shared stories of how they have personally been affected by structural forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

Our open circle allowed members to condemn structural forms of that have been normalized in our society as well as conclude our planned activity for December 10 2021.

Today at Girl Up, we wrapped our planning for and are excited to release the details of our event on December 10 2021 ( ) save the date! 🗓 😃

Our Teen Advisor and Past President of the 4th Girl Up Cohort (2018-2019) Ejatu Bella Suma gave a talk to our new cohort about the importance of effective and open communication.

Today at Girl Up, we are planning our activity for (November 25 - December 10 2021). 16 Days of Activism 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls across the globe.

At Girl Up over the years, we’ve received generous support from the community at home, abroad as well as partners and collaborators. Girl Up received 6 months worth of menstrual pads, toothpaste and soap from local business .

Thanks, ! We appreciate your donations and your support to promoting girls empowerment in Sierra Leone! 💞💞

Girls CAN lead!

We at Girl Up Vine Club Sierra Leone definitely believe this! Today at Girl Up we held our elections and welcomed in the new and last executive board (order of appearance, left to right):
• Fatmata Keita (Treasurer)
• Adama Kamara (Vice President)
• Gladis Ansumana (Public Relations Officer)
• Rugiatu Turay (Secretary)
• Mariama Kamara (President)

Well done girls! We look forward to your leadership throughout this cohort!