GESL is a feminist-based org in Sierra Leone that nurtures & enhances the leadership skills of young girls to become effective advocates & social change agents in their communities. Our IGNITE lecture series is a blended-format series focusing on Violence Against Women & Girls. Through local events, podcasts, videos, and print, we aim to enhance the advocacy & activism skills of our participants.
Sierra Leone remains one of the world's poorest countries. UNICEF statistics show females falling significantly behind males in literacy rates (52.1%- 70.5%). Child marriage is extremely prevalent (17.7% of girls in Sierra Leone are married by 15 and 43.7% by 18), plus the worrying statistics for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), domestic abuse, little knowledge of HIV-prevention or sexual health issues-all of which demonstrate a real need to target Sierra Leone's younger female population.
Access to knowledge & support is the biggest deprivation young girls are experiencing in Sierra Leone. In furthering our girls' community advocacy, our IGNITE series hosts activists from around Sierra Leone in an open-talk format where female activists & thought leaders share their stories around a specific topic. This not only helps our girls gain vital new knowledge, it also inspires them to further their leadership potential. Our podcast series helps us to further our reach in SL & abroad.
GESL has successfully impacted over 200 girls in 5 years - help us impact more! Our girls say Mentorship by female mentors in our program helps them remain in school, that our leadership programs have helped them become more self-confident, aware of themselves and assume leadership roles. They gain technology skills, they become change agents and and are better equipped to identify problems and develop solutions both on the community and national level, and they build a lasting sisterhood.
