“Empowering African girls through education transcends mere knowledge acquisition; it paves the way for a new generation of leaders set to shape the future of their communities and beyond.”

Education is the cornerstone of global progress, particularly for African girls. It isn’t merely about providing access to knowledge and skills but about fuelling a transformative change within their communities. Education enables these girls to chase their dreams, equips them with leadership acumen, and amplifies their voices in a world where they are often unheard.

At Akili Dada, our mission goes beyond providing education; we ensure that the inspiring stories of resilience from our girls and young women are heard far and wide. In addition, collaboration is at the heart of our success as we value partnerships with like-minded organizations that recognize the power of education and storytelling in transforming lives.

Last year, we hosted Christina Callaway (River) from Photographers Without Borders to help us create a portfolio of our scholars, allowing us to tell their stories and underscore the critical role of girls’ education. As part of this initiative, we journeyed to our partner schools nationwide, engaging in deep and meaningful conversations with the girls. We sought to understand their perspectives on education leadership and how we can better amplify their voices.

These interactions reinforced that girls, especially those from underserved communities, are tenacious in pursuing education despite their hurdles. With that it became evident that we need more allies and partners to invest in girls’ education.

Read a more detailed account of our journey with Photographers Without Borders from their lens: https://www.photographerswithoutborders.org/online-magazine/2024/1/25/african-women-lead.

#AfricanWomenLead #GirlsEducation #GenderEquality

By Vivian M. Kwame , Communications Associate-Digital