Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

Empowering the Future: Celebrating the Girl Child in Good Shepherd Missions in South Africa

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By Judith Dumbutshena, Link Communicator, Sector of South Africa

 

We celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child in our ministries with powerful poem recitations written and performed by the girls themselves, shedding light on the challenges they face in our country. These heartfelt expressions brought joy and inspiration to all present as we came together to honor their strength and resilience.

Fourteen-year-old Okuhle and 17-year-old Athabile highlighted the importance of safeguarding for girls by emphasizing that protecting them from violence, abuse, and harassment is the responsibility of all.

In one ministry, the girls (aged between 3 and 6 years old) gathered to watch an episode of the film, ‘Sofia the First,’ to inspire them with the message that “she can,” reinforcing the importance of embracing their uniqueness and strength.

Lilitha, also fourteen years of age, spoke about how empowering and investing in girls today will lead to a brighter future for all tomorrow. She emphasized that through education and equal opportunities, girls have the power to lead and drive sustainable change in their communities and beyond.

Ending violence against girls was the theme of a poem by a 15-year-old Asemahle. The words speak about how fear and abuse hinder girls from realizing their full potential and how speaking out, supporting each other, and creating a safer environment can transform their lives.

17-year-old Uyathandwa, emphasised in her poem how strong mental health allows girls to stand up for their rights and take their place in society with confidence.

While, 14-year-old Quintonique addressed the issue of online safety, mentioning the dangers of digital platforms, where many girls are vulnerable to harassment and exploitation. She stressed the importance of teaching girls to navigate online spaces safely, seeking help when necessary.

Aware that the way women are treated in the future is shaped by boys and men, we held a gentleman’s class for boys between 3 and 6 to teach them kindness and respect toward their female peers and to share in this international celebration of the girl child!

Safeguarding for girls

By 14-year-old Okuhle

Safeguarding is the responsibility of all.

Respecting our rights should be a norm in society,

but our rights are still violated by those whom we love, those whom we know, those whom we don’t know and those whom we care about.

We should speak out, break the silence and make safeguarding part of our daily life.

Do not silence our voices,

Protect our rights,

Speak out and break the cycle of abuse…

 

I am a girl

by Modisa Yo O Molemo Day Care Centre

I am a girl,

Before you harm me,

Think of the life I bring.

I am valuable

STOP abusing me

STOP harassing me

STOP trafficking me

BECAUSE I GIVE LIFE!

 

Sustainable development

by 14-year-old Lilitha

As girls, we have dreams, dreams of being what we want to be,

Achieving what we want to achieve.

A saying goes “Empowering a woman, is empowering a nation”,

As girls we have the power to lead, the power to make a difference.

 

Stop the violence against girls

by 15-year-old Asemahle

Some girls live in fear, fear for being beaten up, fear for not doing or saying the right thing

Don’t be afraid, speak out and be the exposer

I am human, I am fragile

Do not make me a punching bag

Your rage does not scare me anymore

I have decided to step up and speak out

Join me in breaking the silence

Join me in shattering the chain of violence

Together, we rise

Together, we heal

Together, we create a world where girls can live without fear

A world where girls are valued, respected, and protected

Education empowers, not excludes

Equality is the norm, not the exception

Justice is served, not denied

We are the leaders, we are the voices

Together, we rise

Together, we heal

Together, we create a brighter future

 

Online safety  

by 14-year-old Quintonique

This platform can do most harm when your feelings or emotions are low

We think that this platform is there to help us feel better by reading and browsing

Cowards make use of this platform to humiliate us, to discriminate against us, to embarrass us

Breaking us down, making empty promises

And making us press or send responses which are used to exploit us

Rather press a “help” button asking for help

Stop the harassment from those who want to hurt you

Don’t open up yourself to get hurt, rather get help

 

The uprising survivor

by 17-year-old Athabile

Powerful bright like nature

But yet a weapon to destroy our beating hearts bleeding

And our eyes wet

Messages crawl at night to hold our breathe,

knocking at our doors at night, to invade our secret space

in modern days we call it social media

Rise and shine young lady

I know this poem is eligible to read

But it’s time we tell ourselves

We have no desire to fit in, no plans to walk with the crowd

Only the mindset to embrace who we are

Our mental health matters, keep going

For me, there’s hunger for adventure

For my heart, there’s a race I’m close to winning

Where a young leader rises to make a difference

With sustainable development I can achieve my dreams

Safeguarding, such a big word to be ignored

But nowadays our rights are stunted by society

But why do we keep being silent?

Shivering in the dark corners of our rooms

We weep, blue and black we are left

Punching bags we are made, I can feel my old friend “fear

Ready to crush me, but not today

‘Cause I have learned to fly

I’ve climbed the highest mountain

Felt the extreme pain, stood in the hardest rain

Took the beatings of a cane

So now it’s time to loom against my ogres

Today I choose to speak out

And let the world dream

Let it be known that I have risen!

 

Mental Health   

by 17-year-old Uyathandwa

Our mental health is what’s keeping us going and moving forward

As girls and women, we should embrace whop we are

We should embrace our values and our place in society

If our mental health is unstable, which causes us to be vulnerable, we become a statistic

Meaning our rights, our place in society, will mean nothing to others

We will be disrespected by others

Your mental health is a priority, your strength, to rise up and shine.

***

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