As a growing, educated, and enlightened young woman, my advocacy for the empowerment of women is strengthening. I joined Girls United, a Tema International Shool CAS project initiated by Rachel Odartey-Wellington and Marie-Noelle Kpatakpa, in December last year because their core objective of empowering young girls was admirable.
On Sunday, 7 May, 2017, the group was privileged to have met with an adolescent health officer at the Ghana Health Institute. Ms. Grace Amewu shared some stories about young girls who have been molested and sexually abused, and I pondered over how appreciable my childhood was and how blessed I am to be where I am today without having to recall any of such tragic experiences like the ones these young girls have had to encounter. Ms. Amewu directed us to a website where we read about a ten-year-old girl who was given to a man for sex by a stranger who promised to buy her sachet water. The quagmire, that a girl can be in so much as not being able to buy sachet water for herself. This story, as saddening as it is, inspired the group to visit of the victims of molestation and sexual abuse to hear their stories and donate some food items and toiletries.
In order to contribute in the smallest way, I suggested that Feed a Child (an initiative by Prosper Adabla and myself) could organize the food donations to the girls. It would demonstrate the love and support we have for these girls. The donation will be made hopefully somewhere in June. I hope to see Girls United expand as a group in order to strengthen the impact we have on young girls. (Jadyn Thanki _ Grade 11)
