Every Girl Counts: A Community Listening Project

Dear friends and supporters,
Thank you for standing with Every Girl Counts. We started by listening, and here is what girls told us.
What we did
In 2026 we surveyed 486 adolescent girls (aged 10-19) across five communities in Buikwe District. We also held a five-day power analysis with 420 girls: in-school and out-of-school girls, girls with disabilities, child mothers and other girls in vulnerable situations. We asked them to describe moments they felt powerful and powerless.
What girls told us
They are ready to lead, but not safe to speak. 62% are interested in leadership, yet two-thirds are afraid to speak in front of adults. Girls feel powerful when they are recognized for their effort, like being named best performer or elected class monitor, and when someone supports them, like a sister who persuaded their mother to pay school fees.
Safe spaces work, but most girls don't have one. Only 27% know of any place where girls meet. Of those who attend one, 85% feel safe and 87% feel they belong. One girl said a visiting mentor's life skills session made her feel seen and valued.
Silence is the biggest gap. 57% never feel confident talking to a parent about sexual health or pregnancy, and only 36% know what family planning is. Girls told us they feel most powerless when others control their bodies, education and choices: "I was told to stop school to give chance to my brother." About 30% of the girls we surveyed are out of school.
Girls would speak up if there were a safe way. 78% say they would report abuse, but 87% cannot name a law that protects them, and fewer than 1% would go first to a child protection office.
What's next
Guided by the girls' own words, we are creating safe spaces in these communities where girls can meet, build confidence and life skills, get accurate health information, and learn how to report harm safely. We will involve parents and local leaders so girls are supported at home too, and we will report back as the spaces open.
Challenges
We have not yet raised funds on this platform, so our work so far has relied on our own resources and partners. Funding is the main barrier to opening the safe spaces.
How you can help
Your gift helps turn the girls' own requests into real, safe places to meet and learn. Please share this project with someone who cares about girls' safety.
With gratitude,
Ivan Waraba Zema
Executive Director, BTRM-U