As MoWSuD-SL and the Embassy of Ireland Celebrate International Day of the Girl Child in Kenema…
Executive Director Urges Investment in Girls’ Leadership and Digital Resilience
Kenema, October 11, 2025 – The Moving Women for Sustainable Development Sierra Leone (MoWSuD-SL), with support from the Embassy of Ireland in Sierra Leone, commemorated the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child in Kenema under the global theme “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis.”
The event brought together girls, teachers, community and traditional leaders, government representatives, and development partners to celebrate and empower the next generation of female leaders.
During the celebration, the Executive Director of MoWSuD-SL officially launched a new empowerment initiative titled “From Victims to Leaders: Girls Building Digital Resilience.” The project is designed to equip girls with the skills and confidence to lead the fight against digital abuse while promoting safe and inclusive online spaces across Sierra Leone.
“When we invest in girls, we invest in the future,” the Executive Director said. “This initiative is about transforming girls from victims of digital harm into leaders of digital resilience, equipped, informed, and ready to make the digital world a safer place for all.”
She explained that the project would focus on empowering both in-school and out-of-school girls in Kenema and the Western Rural Districts, tackling the growing risks of cyberbullying, online harassment, and image-based exploitation, especially in communities with limited digital literacy and support systems.
Going further, the Executive Director highlighted key objectives, implementation phases, and the sustainable plan of the project as stated below:
Key Project Objective
The ‘From Victims to Leaders’ initiative aims to:
•Train 100 girls (50 in-school and 50 out-of-school) in digital safety, leadership, and advocacy;
•Establish 10 Digital Champions who will serve as peer mentors in their schools and communities;
•Create safe storytelling spaces for girls to share experiences and co-design local solutions;
•Engage parents, teachers, and community leaders in promoting collective responsibility for girls’ digital dignity; and
•Amplify girl-led advocacy through media, creative arts, and social campaigns during the International Day of the Girl Child and the 16 Days of Activism.
Implementation Phases
The project will be implemented in four main phases:
•Launch & Awareness (October 11, 2025): The Girls’ Digital Leadership Day in Kenema and Western Rural marked the kickoff, featuring workshops, performances, and the launch of the #TheGirlIAmChangeILead campaign to amplify girls’ voices.
•Capacity Building: Girls will participate in Digital Bootcamps on online leadership and safety. Ten participants will be selected as Digital Champions to mentor peers and promote responsible digital citizenship.
•Community & Advocacy Engagement: Through safe space dialogues, girls will share lived experiences, receive psychosocial support, and engage in community forums with parents, teachers, and male allies.
•Policy & Sustainability Actions: The project will culminate in a Digital Dignity Charter presentation to local authorities, followed by the establishment of Girls’ Digital Sisterhood Circles — ongoing mentorship networks that sustain learning and advocacy.
Sustainability Plan
To ensure continuity, MoWSuD-SL will:
•Maintain the Girls’ Digital Sisterhood Circles as long-term peer support and mentorship structures;
•Integrate digital rights advocacy into its broader gender justice and youth empowerment programmes; and
•Strengthen partnerships with schools, local councils, and child protection agencies such as the Children’s Forum Network, Family Support Unit, and Rainbow Initiative to institutionalise digital safety education and advocacy.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Joseph Ayamga, Country Director of SEND Sierra Leone, challenged the young participants to pursue their ambitions with purpose and determination.
“Young people always have one question to ask themselves: What do you want to be in the future?” he said, encouraging girls to explore careers in environmental science, sustainability, social justice, and education, areas that reflect their passion for positive change.
The celebration concluded with performances, storytelling sessions, and advocacy messages by participating schoolgirls, who pledged to champion digital safety and leadership among their peers.
The Executive Director described the event as “more than a campaign, a movement”, calling on all stakeholders to recognise and support girls as leaders of transformation in building a safer and more inclusive Sierra Leone.
“When every girl can stand up and say, I lead. I protect. I change, that is when our nation truly progresses,” she concluded.
