By Mohamed Mansaray in Kenema
Moving Women for Sustainable Development Sierra Leone(MOWSUD-SL) celebrated International Day of the girl child with support from the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone as part of the 2025 International Day of the girl child celebration under the global theme The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the front lines of crises.
Over Two Hundred (200) participants of esteemed partners, Traditional and Community leaders, Government representatives including School going and outgoing pupils were on October 11, 2025 at the Kenema Community Centre for the celebration.
Giving the overview of the project, Mariama Khai Fornah, the Executive Director of MOWSUD-SL, told the participants that digital technology using mobile phones and social media to connect, express themselves and access opportunities. However, she said, this digital exposure also comes with risks.”Many girls face cyber bullying, online harassnent, image-based exploitation and privacy violations. In ruler areas like Kenema and Western Rural where this project would be implemented, the risks are even greater because of limited digital literacy, lack of safe spaces and weak support systems.” For out of school girls, the challenges multiply-limited access to information, economic vulnerability and Social Stigma make them more susceptible to outline and off line abuse.
At MOWSUD-SL, Mariama Khai Fornah told participants that they believe girls are not just beneficiaries of projection but they are agents of change. ” This project therefore seeks to reposition girls from victims of digital harms to leaders of digital resilence and dignity. She also told participants that it reflects their Organisation’s holistic mission, empowering women and girls through human rights advocacy, good governance, health education and sustainable livelihoods ensuring that they don’t only survive but thrive and lead.
Delivery his keynote address, the Country Director of SEND-SL, Joseph Ayamga explained to the children what it means by Education and that Education is to understand and be able to pay back. According to him, the children have the responsibilities to find solutions of solving their problems. “If we talking of poverty, is not a responsibility of the President adding that we all need to work hard to develop Sierra Leone. The girl children have the powers to transform a community or country. He admonished then to be serious with their education and not to expose themselves to men. According to Mr. Ayamga, October 11, 2025, marks an International Day of the Girl child and to explain the important of education and that they have the potentials in life.
Earlier, the chair person of the programme, Mama Jamie Bockarie, a health practitioner of DHMT in Kenema, welcomed participants and she told them the purpose of meeting. She thanked all and sundry for leaving their busy schedules to attend in order to know about the international Day of the Girl child.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday, 17th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
