Our radio show, Wae Gyal Pikin Tinap (When a Girl Child Stands), empowered girls to take charge of their futures
Without education, you can be discriminated against and stigmatised in the community, and even by your own relatives.”— Out-of-school girl from Pujehun, Sierra Leone
More than half of Sierra Leone’s 15-year-olds cannot read or write, and only 26% of girls are likely to carry on to secondary school – leaving them at risk of unemployment, poverty, child marriage, and violence. Girls are also prone to dropping out of school at a higher rate, due to issues such as early marriage and taking on the majority of household chores. A lack of female role models mean many young women aren’t inspired to carry on their education, and see no alternative.
BBC Media Action’s EAGER project (Every Adolescent Girl Empowered and Resilient) used media to combat these issues in Sierra Leone and encourage more young women to pursue education, so that they could access different career options and have opportunities beyond being a wife and a mother. As part of this, our radio programme, Wae Gyal Pikin Tinap, gave hope to girls who have either never been to school or dropped out.
Wae Gyal Pikin Tinap helped young women acquire life skills and supported their transition into education, training or employment. The radio show told success stories from these young women, such as Aminata, a young woman in a wheelchair, who started her own business selling toiletries and hygiene products by saving the money she earned from begging.
“These programmes have empowered and educated girls and women to be self-reliant, to be independent, and have allowed them to be in control of their lives and choices. We support them to own and tap into their hidden talents, learn new skills, and help them to understand that they deserve as much opportunity as anybody else,” says Rebecca, former producer-presenter of Wae Gyal Pikin Tinap.
Rebecca’s critical work has meant that young women and girls across Sierra Leone have been given a voice and feel empowered to go to school or pursue a career. As well as encouraging communities to be more supportive of girls in education, the work done by producers like Rebecca has changed many young women’s lives.
Producer Marian Tina Conteh interviewing Aminata Tholley
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/where-we-work/africa/sierra-leone/changing-young-womens-lives/