By Sahr Ibrahim Komba in Freetown
232News
Radiance Center for Education and Social Justice has empowered over hundred and fifty girls about the important of education.
The empowerment which took the form of seminal has it theme “Gender empowerment through education and economic development” and it took place at the conference hall of YWCA, Brookfield’s Freetown on the 24th September, 2022.
The seminal that targeted school girls between the ages of 9 to 19, also targeted schools within the Brookfield community.
Speaking at the conference, the Missionary and Tourism Consultant from Navigators Sierra Leone Madam Georgia Baa-Poku advised girls to take good care and maintain their bodies adding that girls should not apply any chemical on their skins because the application of cosmetics on the skins sometimes result to cancer. ‘’The chemicals made by the European do not match with our skin and sometimes destroy our skins and beauty does not come from bleaching’’, she said.
She called on girls maintain personal hygiene at all times adding that cleanness is next to Godliness and poverty does not mean dirty. Girls should always keep their dresses neat and should inform their elders about things affecting them adding that personal hygiene should their friend.
Strategies for economic empowerment there are many benefits you get from school. You can look between things and decide what is right or wrong.
She cautioned young girls to engage in Entrepreneurship because it is one of the strategies for economic development. She further advised girls to volunteer in offices in order to develop work experience noting that job experience will give girls the opportunity to gain employment in society.
The Chief Executive Officer of Susue Group Madam Nansu Fofanah shared her experience with the girls and encouraged them to be committed in pursuing education because education is the only tool they have to empower themselves. She further said should be willing to learn from bad experience because out of every bad experience comes good things.
She reiterated that girls should not always accept gift form their male counterparts because there is no gift without a payback and girls should be willing to report to report sexual harassment to their parents.
She thanked Radiance Center for Education and Social Justice for the initiative because will it help to shape young girls in society adding that many parents do not have the time to talk to their girl child about women issues noting that social media as distracted the girls and they do not have time to ask their elders about woman issues.
She further said that the conference will help the girls to understand the things that append to them and provide necessary answers to those things
She also added that they sometimes do follow-up through the parents or guidance in ensuring that the girls are safe in their communities. ‘’We sometimes engage the boys on issues of sex education because they always move around with the girls and it important to also engage them.
She called on the girls to take advantage of this opportunity because there is so much more to achieve even though challenges exist around the world. She concluded that the girls should make good use of the social media because social media have educative things for young people.
In an interview with executive Director for Radiance center for education and social justice Abigail S. Kendor said that the organization was established in order to create a platform for young girls to discuss surrounding women. ‘’The program is a day seminal in which they invited guest speakers to share their experiences with young girls in order to build their confidence and in their daily activities’’ she said.
She said that the conference will educate the girls about entrepreneurship and development in general .The theme of the program was ‘’gender empowerment through education and economic development’’ ‘’We at Radiance want everyone male of female to have equal access to education and economic empowerment’’.. She advised ta girl to set their agenda and the program will make a follow up on the students to know
In an interview with Reina Isata Kamara from the mountain Rural community secondary school said the she is happy to be a part of the program because it has help her confidence as a girl and se will take the message to her school she added the program is important because it will help girls to development self-esteem and be independent in their academic work and it will help the girls to positively contribute to their society Radiance center for education and social justice empowerment conference.
