Moving Women for Sustainable Development Sierra Leone (MoWSuD-SL), with support from the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone, on Friday, October 17th, 2025, commemorated the International Day of the Girl Child with an inspiring and action-driven event held in Waterloo. The celebration brought together both in-school and out-of-school girls to honor their courage, resilience and leadership under the global theme: “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead, Girls on the Frontline of Crises.”
The gathering served as both a celebration and a call to action, urging communities, policymakers and families to invest in girls’ empowerment and create opportunities for them to thrive as leaders, innovators and agents of change. It featured a dynamic Boot Camp Session where participants engaged directly with key stakeholders, including the Family Support Unit (FSU), Rainbo Initiative and local youth leaders, to discuss critical issues such as safety, gender-based violence and online abuse. Through this interactive format, girls were given a rare platform to ask questions, share personal experiences and voice their challenges
in school, at home and within digital spaces.
In her project overview, Mariama Khai Fornah, Executive Director of MoWSuD-SL, introduced the initiative titled: “From Victims to Leaders: Girls Building Digital Resilience.” She explained that the project, which targets girls in Kenema and Western Rural Districts, seeks to equip them with digital literacy, online safety and leadership skills.
“This project is about repositioning girls from victims of digital harm to leaders of resilience and dignity,” Mariama Khai Fornah said. “We want to ensure that every girl understands how to use technology safely, advocate for her rights and build a strong voice in her community.”
Speaking on behalf of the Rainbo Initiative, Francess Nuli Kabu, Communications and Advocacy Officer, underscored the organization’s commitment to providing safe spaces for girls who are survivors of abuse.
“Our doors remain open to every girl in need of protection and support,” she said. “We ensure survivors receive the medical, legal and psychosocial care they deserve. Empowered girls are the foundation of safe and inclusive communities.”
Representing the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Sierra Leone Police, Michael Williams reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to ensuring justice for survivors of gender-based violence.
“Protecting the girl child is not just a moral duty it’s a national priority,” he emphasized. “The Sierra Leone Police remains firm in handling all cases of sexual and domestic violence with professionalism and sensitivity.”
The event also featured the official launch of the “From Victims to Leaders” project by Marie Bangura, District Youth Council Chairperson, who commended MoWSuD-SL for giving girls a voice and platform to lead. She encouraged parents, educators and local authorities to continue supporting girls in leadership and advocacy.
In her keynote address, Florence Lelima Katta, Executive Director of Media Matters for Women, delivered a stirring message that resonated deeply with participants. She celebrated the strength and vision of girls across Sierra Leone who are confronting crises such as climate change, gender inequality and economic hardship.
“In times of crisis girls are not just victims of circumstance they are innovators, peacebuilders, caregivers, and advocates for justice,” Florence Lelima Katta said. “Yet too often, their voices remain unheard, their rights overlooked and their potential underutilized. Today calls on all of us families, leaders, institutions and communities to create spaces where every girl can learn, lead and thrive without fear or limitation.”
She concluded powerfully: “The girl I am is strong. The change I lead is unstoppable. When we invest in girls’ digital resilience, we are not only protecting them we are building a stronger, more inclusive Sierra Leone where every girl can proudly say: ‘I lead. I protect. I change.’ Together, we rise.”
The project, supported by MoWSuD-SL and its partners, aims to train 100 girls 50 in-school and 50 out-of-school participants in digital safety, leadership, and advocacy. Ten participants will be selected as Digital Champions to mentor peers and lead awareness campaigns in their communities.
To ensure inclusivity, the initiative integrates safe storytelling spaces where girls can share real-life experiences, learn coping strategies, and co-create solutions to the challenges they face both online and offline. Creative workshops, leadership boot camps, and community dialogues will be central to the program’s design ensuring that girls are not passive beneficiaries but active co-leaders of every stage.
At the project’s conclusion, participants will collectively design a Digital Dignity Charter, outlining concrete recommendations for policymakers, educators, and community leaders on promoting safer digital environments for girls. This Charter will serve as both an advocacy tool and a national framework for protecting girls’ rights in the digital era.
By the end of the program, participants are expected to emerge more confident, informed, and resilient able to influence change within their communities and online spaces. The initiative will also enhance community awareness of the risks of online abuse while promoting girl-led advocacy for safety, education, and equality.
Throughout the event, creative performances and spoken-word sessions highlighted girls’ stories of courage, perseverance, and transformation. Participants pledged to support one another and to stand as ambassadors for gender equality and digital empowerment.
As Sierra Leone continues to navigate social and economic challenges, MoWSuD-SL’s initiative underscores the urgent need to center girls in conversations around development, technology, and leadership.
“When girls lead, communities grow stronger, nations become more resilient, and the world moves closer to justice and equality,” said Fornah. “Empowering girls is not just about changing their lives it’s about transforming society.”
The celebration concluded with the reaffirmation of a shared commitment: to build a future where every girl in Sierra Leone whether in school or out of school, online or offline has the freedom, skills and confidence to lead change in her own right.
