Tag Archives: Uganda

Even on Break, AAH Girls Find Ways to Inspire

As a new member to the She’s The First dream team, I couldn’t wait to dive in and learn more about the girls at Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda. After studying public advocacy and focusing on Africa in my studies, the people I met, materials that I learned, and events I participated in took a strong hold on my heart. Moving to New York City I made sure to keep this a part of my life by volunteering both in the city and during a summer trip to Ghana. Now, as a Researcher for She’s The First, I am able to continue this connection through Arlington Academy of Hope.

I was a little nervous at first calling the ladies who coordinate the school. But as soon as they picked up the phone, they were welcoming and excited to not only meet me, but to talk on and on about the girls. I made this call during my lunch hour from work, and it immediately turned my rainy Monday around. The stories they told and girls they bragged about were incredibly inspiring. Feeling goosebumps several times throughout the call, I couldn’t help but think about how our talks in the future would be and how lucky I was to hear from them how these girls are growing and thriving.

A couple girls reading 1 of their 50 books for the AAH reading program.

Currently in Uganda, students are on their breaks from school. Typically the school year ends in November and picks back up in late January or early February. However, this doesn’t mean the girls aren’t staying active. During their break, they take on service projects in their communities. This can include a variety of activities such as cleaning schools or helping other girls prepare for school. These projects gives off a “pay it forward” vibe by not only making the girls feel a special sense of pride and positivity, but also allowing the support they receive from their sponsors to go even further by stretching beyond the girl and onto the good she does for her community.

Before school ended, the girls completed a reading project. This is a program that started here in the United States at their sister school Arlington Traditional School. Every girl reads 50 books from summer on to the end of the school year. This allows them to build their reading and English skills. The girls absolutely love the program and can often be found throughout the school busily reading their books even during breaks or meals. The program ends with end of the year celebrations and awards.

Photo of Aziza (left) from New Vision, Uganda's national paper Jan 25, 2013.

As I mentioned before, just because the girls are on break from school does not mean they’re on a break from being incredible. In fact, just this past week Aziza K., age 14, was featured in Uganda’s national newspaper New Vision. Aziza spoke about the confidence the school has brought to her and promised:

“I have heard a lot of stories concerning corruption involving accountants in public offices. I want to join the profession to make a positive change.”

Isn’t that awesome?

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UN Launches New Program for Girls, Teen Activist Shot

Malala Yousafzai, 14-Year-Old  Girls’ Education Champion, Shot by Taliban
At the age of 11, Malala Yousafzai took on the Taliban by giving voice to her dreams. As turbaned fighters swept through her town in northwestern Pakistan in 2009, the tiny schoolgirl spoke out about her passion for education — she wanted to become a doctor, she said — and became a symbol of defiance against Taliban subjugation. Read more here (New York Times).

University Students Protest Tuition Fees in Sudan
Students from four different universities across Sudan recently began a strike in protest of tuition fees. The dispute began when universities refused to register students until they paid tuition fees.  Student leaders argue Darfuri students enrolled in national universities are not required to pay fees and should be allowed to enroll. An appeal has been made to the Ministry of Finance, the Darfur Regional Authority and the governments of the five states of Darfur to solve the problem. Read it all here.

Teenage Ugandan Girl Wins Seat in Parliament
Proscovia Oromait, a young 19 year old girl fresh out of high school, has won a seat in Uganda’s parliament. Although some are criticizing Oromait for her lack of experience, she claims, “It’s not about the age … it’s the brain.” She will represent Usuk, a region known its extreme poverty. Read it all here.

UN Launches New Program for Girls and Women
A new five year program, Accelerating Progress Toward the Economic Empowerment of Rural Women, was recently launched by UN Women and three Rome-based United Nations agencies. The program, which will begin in countries like Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Rwanda, seeks to empower poor rural woman who are struggling to find decent employment. The program has four primary goals: improve food and nutrition security, increase incomes, enhance leadership and participation in rural institutions, and create a more responsive policy environment at national and international levels. Read more.

 

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Free Education in Namibia, Dangers in South Sudan & More

Young Girls at Risk in South Sudan
South Sudan has quickly become an incredibly dangerous place for young girls and women, who face rape and domestic violence on a daily basis. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, recently visited the region and learned about the extreme lack of rights for women, especially those in rural areas. Pillay also learned about the tyranny that is created by the dowry system and how it encourages families to marry off their girls as young as 14–despite the fact that the new country’s constitution sets the minimum marrying age at 18.  Many are looking to President Salva Kiir to take a stand for women’s rights and help the young nation move in the right direction. President Kiir has a lot to overcome as just 37 percent of girls attend primary school in South Sudan. Read it all here.

Namibia Welcomes Free Education
Namibia’s Ministry of Education has taken a giant step towards improving the state of education in the country by deciding to provide free and compulsory education at the primary level. As a result of this change, the country’s national budget will be largely spent on education starting next year. Although many applaud this historic move, some are still concerned families will keep their children home because purchasing supplemental materials carries a heavy financial burden. Read more here.

More Girls Graduating from University in Uganda
At Uganda’s Makerere University the number of female graduates is reaching unprecedented levels. In fact, the number has increased from 779 graduates in 1996 to 6,495 in 2011. The gender gap has also shown progress, as 48 percent of the total graduates are female. During the 2012 graduation, girls also outnumbered the boys in courses such as law, medicine and surgery, and nursing. Read it all here.

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@ExplorersTYWLS Camp Ends with Bead Making for Fundraiser

Camp has come to an end and She’s the First is left with lots of new friends, tons of amazing photos, and some great ideas for the future. Every day that we spent with the TYWLS Explorers was wonderful, but I found our final workshop to be the most fun and inspiring.

Last Wednesday we decided to let the girls experience the heart of She’s the First: giving the gift of education to a girl across the world. We talked to the girls about Uganda and how a huge percentage of their population is living on less than $1 per day. We told them about organizations like BeadforLife, started by Torkin Wakefield and Ginny Jordan in 2003, which allow the women of Uganda to break the poverty cycle by making magazine beads to be sold in North America and Europe.

Next, we told the campers about Hellen, a 15 year old girl studying at the Arlington Academy of Hope. Last year STF sponsored Hellen for the first time and this year the TYWLS Explorers have the opportunity to give Hellen another year of education by making and selling magazine beads, just like the women of Uganda!

Nabulwala Hellen, student at AAH

After teaching them how to make the beads, the girls were off and running. They were so excited about helping Hellen that they started tweeting right away!

Not only did the girls get to see how it feels to directly help someone across the world, but they got to bond with the STF volunteers!

Photo by Kate Lord

Photo by Kate Lord

Photo by Kate Lord
Photo by Kate Lord
Photo by Kate Lord
Photo by Kate Lord
Photo by Kate Lord
Photo by Kate Lord

Thank you to the @ExplorersTYWLS for letting us share your camp experience, we had an absolute blast. We have seen firsthand how much of an impact you are capable of making, and we can’t wait to see what other great things you will do!

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Poison Mystery for Afghanistan School Girls, Pregnancy Policy in Libera & More

With Girls’ Education a Priority, Women Flourish in Bangladesh
Throughout the past 30 years, women of Bangladesh have made incredible strides in social, economic and political fields. In fact, women are responsible for bringing in $23 million–roughly 80 percent–of the country’s total export earnings. Additionally, women now comprise nearly 60 percent of the primary teachers in the country. Much of the country’s success is due to its commitment to educating and empowering girls and women. Read it here.

No Policy for Pregnant Schoolgirls in Liberia
Schoolgirls in Liberia are being expelled for being pregnant, while the nation’s education policy is silent on the matter. Despite the work of the country’s first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, issues like poverty, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy and rape are limiting girls’ access to quality education–and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. Patricia Kollie, a pregnant student at St. Mark Lutheran High School in the city of Gbarnga, Bong County, was recently expelled despite having paid program fees. Kollie will have to re-enroll after delivering her baby and begin the year over. Read more here.

Who is Poisoning Afghanistan’s Girls?
The debate rages on about who is responsible for poisoning Afghanistan’s schoolgirls. Over the past few months, several incidents have taken place: On April 17, 150 girls reported feelings of dizziness, nausea, and headaches. They were transported from their school in the Afghan province of Takhar to a hospital–some fainted, and some were vomiting when they arrived. In the same province a month later, 120 more girls and 3 teachers complained of the same symptoms and were again taken in. The next week, 160 girls in Taluquan, the capital of Takhar province, reported being ill. While the Afghan government is convinced the Taliban is to blame, the World Health Organization is now saying all samples turned up negative for poisoning. The organization is now blaming Mass Psychological Illness for the symptoms, saying that many of the girls were likely suffering from trauma cased by years of conflict. However, many Afghans don’t believe mass hysteria is the cause and are demanding the government take action against the Taliban. Read all the details here.

Ugandan Women Fight Against Cervical Cancer
The UN World Health Organization reports that 3,577 Ugandan women die of cervical cancer every year, making it the most common form of cancer affecting women in the country. With little information available to the public and limited government funds to fight the disease, many worry the number of cases will continue to increase. Read more here.

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Landslides Occur in Bududa District, Uganda

This morning, we woke up to news of landslides in Bududa district, Uganda, where our partner school Arlington Academy of Hope is located. Right now, sources are confirming around eighteen dead, but the death toll could be as many as 450. Luckily, the school itself was spared; but we (like many) are awaiting details on the many people who lived in the surrounding areas.

We’re working with Arlington Academy of Hope to discuss an emergency relief plan; please check back soon if you’re looking to help them through this crisis.

For up to date information on the landslides, click here.

[Update, 10:18 a.m.] The Wall Street Journal is reporting a confirmed death toll of 30; 250 unaccounted for. If the heavy rain continues, up to 400,000 may be displaced. Story here.

[Update, 10:43 a.m.] The volunteer coordinator at AAH is reporting: “None of the primary school students were killed, injured, or missing to the best of [her] knowledge. The children were at the school for a music festival when the landslide occurred. At this point, with preliminary information only, two children have lost their families. We are not sure about any secondary school students or their families at this time. It is unlikely that any secondary students were involved as they were away at their schools.”

AAH reports they will likely be organizing a drive for donations soon, once they have more information from their team on the ground, as local refugees will need kerosene, food, and tent materials. We will update you on those efforts as soon as possible.

 

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Solutions to Overpopulation, LRA Commander Captured & More

Are Girls the Solution to Overpopulation?
Experts estimate that the Earth has the capacity to support approximately 4 billion people, however we’ve already surpassed that number and likely to reach over 9 billion by 2040. Resources are growing scarce and the cycle of poverty only continues. Perhaps one of the best solutions to overpopulation can be found in young girls. If provided with a safe environment and an education, girls truly do have the power to change the world. Research shows that girls who stay in school are more likely to marry later in life and have fewer children. Even more, educated mothers are more likely to send their own children to school, which helps break the cycle of poverty even further. Read more here.

Britain Pulls Funding for Girls Education Program in South Sudan
South Sudan is perhaps the worst place to be a female. Not only does the new country have the highest maternal mortality rate, but it also have the lowest female literacy rates. Girls in South Sudan are therefore more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than complete primary education. While conflict has plagued the region for years, which limits educational and economical opportunities for women, many countries have contributed funds to help the nation rebuild. However, Britain recently pulled back development funding in response to South Sudan’s halt of oil production. The withdrawal will limit funding to Britain’s program to educate girls. Meanwhile the United States is moving forward with their development plan. Read the whole story here.

Africa’s First Female Presidents Determined to Help Women
The first two female presidents in Africa are joining forces in an effort to make life better for girls and women on the continent. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Malawian President Joyce Banda recently pledged to work together to accelerate their efforts to empower girls and women. Both women govern countries with significant development issues, yet they’re confident about the future. Read it all here.

LRA Commander Captured
Ceasar Achellam, a senior commander in the Lord’s Resistance Army, was recently captured by the Ugandan army in the Central African Republic. Joseph Kony, the group’s leader, is still wanted by the International Criminal Court for rape and murder thousands of civilians. See it here.

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A Challenge to Marrying Off Schoolgirls, Innovative Girls’ Ed Ad & More

TAMWA challenges rural communities on girls’ education
The Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) has reached out to rural communities in their country to encourage them to end the practice of marrying off young girls. Read more here.

Haiti Prime Minister Resigns
Haiti’s Gary Conille has decided to step down from his position of Prime Minister. Conille officially resigned after rumors of a power struggle within between the parliament, president and prime minister. A replacement has not yet been named. Read the whole story here.

Fighting in Mali Leaves Thousands Displaced
Since mid-January, government forces in Mali have been fighting with Tuareg rebels. The clashes have displaced nearly 130,000. Basic supplies for the displaced are in great demand, especially since many have been living in a region heavily affected by a food shortage. Read more here.

Ugandan Women Tricked into Prostitution in Malaysia
Ugandan officials say a highly organized operation has tricked more than 600 Ugandan women into working in a Malaysian sex ring. Girls arrive in Malaysia expecting a well-paying job, but instead find themselves trapped as sex slaves and forced into prostitution. Officials say many of the girls are college educated, but have struggled to find jobs in Uganda. Read the story here.

Half a Million Afghans Homeless
A recent Amnesty International report says nearly half a million Afghans are now homeless and in search of safe places to live. As many as 30,000 people are living in make-shift tents on the outskirts of Kabul. Read it here.

“Because I Am A Girl” Creates Ad Only Women Can See
In London, the girls’ education campaign “Because I Am A Girl” created an ad fitted with facial-recognition technology, only allowing women to view it. The idea is that men will get a small taste of what it’s like to have basic choices taken away, and raise awareness about the plight of girls’ education worldwide. Read more here.

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Girls in Uganda Outshine Boys, Changes in Kenya & More

Food Shortages Force Children to Drop Out of School in Niger
The food crisis across the Sahel region of Africa is having devastating health effects on millions of children, especially those under the age of five. However, food shortages have also created a ripple effect that is causing countless children to stay home, too weak to attend school. Niger has been hit especially hard by the crisis, where 66 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and educational indicators are already among the lowest in the world. Read more here.

Girls in Tororo, Uganda Outshine Boys in Final Exams
Girls in Tororo District, Uganda have a big reason to celebrate: For the fourth year in a row, girls in this region have outshone their male counterparts in Primary Leaving Examinations. Way to go girls! Read the details here.

Major Changes Possible For Kenya School System
Kenya will have four different types of secondary schools if a new proposal on education reforms is adopted. Unlike the current system, the proposal allows students to pursue either general, technical, talent or vocational education from specialized institutions. The changes would bring new curriculum and textbooks and would also require students to take two years in pre-school, six in primary, three in junior secondary, three in senior secondary and three at university. If accepted, the changes will take place in September 2013. Read more here.

Mexico Appoints First Female Chief of Federal Police
For the first time ever, Mexico has appointed its first woman to head the federal police. Maribel Cervantes, 41, has a degree in communication sciences and is experienced in military training and intelligence. The past year has seen a number of firsts for women in Mexico. Marisela Morales became the first female attorney general of Mexico in March, and last weekend Josefina Vazquez Mota of Calderon’s conservative National Action Party (PAN) won her party’s presidential nomination for the July 1 election. Read more.

 

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Female Leaders Impact Girls Ed in India & More

UN Says Somali Famine ‘Over’
The United Nations has officially declared the Somali famine over as the number of people in the area needing humanitarian assistance has dropped from 4 million to 2.3 million. Although the severe drought that plagued the Horn of Africa is improving, the UN warns that continued efforts must be made in order to restore food security and help people resume normal lives. Two million starving people seems like quite a few, so “continued efforts needed” sounds like a bit of an understatement to us. Read more here.

Study Shows Female Leaders Impacts Girls’ School Exams in India
A recent study found that Indian girls raised in villages with a female leader (called a Pradhan) serving on the village council were more likely to score higher in school exams that girls from other villages, while test scores for boys remained roughly the same. The results show that the role model effect “reaches beyond the realm of aspirations into the concrete, with real education and time-use impacts.” Read more here.

UNDP Starts First Program in South Sudan
South Sudan now has its first ever United Nations Development plan, a two-year program created to support the government as it build its own capacity, develops pro-poor policy and improves on health systems. The UNDP is also working in the country to improve community security by supporting the training of police officers and handing over 54 posts to the police service. Read the full story here.

Malaria Deaths Hugely Underestimated?
A recent study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation suggests that worldwide malaria deaths may be almost twice as high as previously estimated. The study found that 1.24 million people died from malaria in 2010, which is much greater than the World Health Organization’s previous estimate of 655,000 deaths for the same year. Although high, these number have declined in recent years. The discrepancy in numbers may be due to the fact that the new study involved a variety of measures and used improved mathematical models, along with additional data sets, to calculate global death rates. Read the full story here.

Uganda to Teach Swahili in Schools
Many schools in Uganda previously avoided teaching Kiswahili as a compulsory subject due to limited materials in and teachers of Swahili, but now the language will become a compulsory requirement in primary and secondary schools throughout the country. Uganda joins Rwanda in the list of regional countries to promote the language as they seek to advance opportunities in the integrated East African Community, where English and Swahili are the main languages of communication. Read the full story here.

Sudan Denies Bombing of U.S.-Built School
After a school built by a North Carolina aid group was destroyed in the Nuba mountains, Sudanese officials are denying targeting the area. Read more here.

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Arlington Academy of Hope Takes a Field Trip!

Recently, the lovely ladies of Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda took a field trip to the nearby city of Mbale. In the photos, the girls were writing down some observations they made at the local bakery they visited and are waiting to enter the train station on a Study Tour to Mbale. Always great to see what the girls are up to at AAH!

Taking some notes!

Excited to be on their field trip!

 

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New Teachers For South Sudan, Slowing Teen Pregnancy & More

Female Circumcision Rates Lowered in Senegal
Over 92 millions African girls have undergone female circumcision, a dangerous and painful tradition often performed with little to no pain medication. Although this practice is still carried out in many countries, the African nation of Senegal is working to put a stop to cutting. A local group called Tostan has had a major impact in lowering the use of this practice with an education program that seeks to build support on the dangers of cutting. While Tostan is careful not to denounce it as barbaric, they do seek to change social conventions and perceptions of cutting. Read more about Tostan’s efforts here.

Argentina Lowers Illiteracy Rate
In 2004 Argentina created “Encuentros,” a literacy program dedicated to lowering the country’s illiteracy rate. The program called on civil society volunteers to teach reading and writing in a range of over 50,000 community centers and was heavily focused on lowering the illiteracy rate of women, particularly those over thirty years old. As a result of the program’s success, Argentina’s illiteracy rated has dropped from 2.6 percent in 2001 to 1.9 percent in 2010. Read more about the program here.

Education in Tanzania Critical to Slowing Teenage Pregnancy
In Tanzania’s region of Shinyanga the average woman marries young and gives birth to seven children. Unfortunately for the hundreds of schoolgirls who become pregnant, their education is brought to a halt as the taboo of young mothers returning to school is especially strong. For a country with a soaring population, the answer to slowing growth is increasing education for girls, which leads to lower birth rates and increased economic growth. Read more here.

Uganda to Create Jobs for Teachers in South Sudan
The president of Uganda Yoweri Museveni says his country will send teachers to South Sudan in an effort to help the new nation recover from decades of conflict that have badly affected literacy and the education system. Read more here.

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It’s Sweater Season…Even in Uganda!

While we’re bracing ourselves for fall here in the states, the students at Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda are preparing for cooler temperatures, too! Check out their brand new sweaters. Is anyone else getting an urge to wear maroon this season?

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Northern Uganda Gets New Ambassador for Girls’ Ed, NGOs Promote Girls’ Ed in Ghana

Northern Uganda Gets New Ambassador for Girls’ Ed
Daughter of the Ugandan President, Natasha Museveni Karugire, has been installed as the patron of girls’ education in Nebbi Diocese. Natasha will mentor young women in career and educational goals in provinces that have strong cultural beliefs of women being the weaker sex. She said, “It is time to come out of the shadows and do something. I am ready to support girls’ education in Nebbi and Zombo districts.” Read more on the first daughter’s efforts here.

NGOs Promote Girls Education in Bole District of Ghana
The Bole District Director of Education in Ghana, Mr Alhassan S. Moomen, has said working in partnership with NGOs has helped to improve the education of girls in the district. He credits the dispersement of school uniforms, sandals, bags, and learning materials as a great assistance to the district. Read more here.

Plea for More Government Orphanages for Girls in India
Despite there being nearly 65 private homes for orphaned children in the Coimbatore district of India, there is only one Government-run orphanage. Philanthropists and members of NGOs believe that there is an urgent need to provide homes and also education to the children of the region, especially the girls. Read more here.

Kristof’s Latest Post a Tribute to Microsaving
In his latest column, New York Times reporter Nick Kristof tells the story of Jane Ngoiri, a woman who turned her life around through microsaving. Read the column here.

Denmark Elects Its First Female PM
After all the votes were counted, Helle Thorning-Schmidt is set to become the first female Prime Minister of Denmark. She defeated the incumbent Lars Lokke Rasmussen with her platform of tax raises and increased public spending.  Thorning-Schmidt said of her victory, “We did it… today we’ve written history.” Read more here.

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Kenyan Teachers End Strike, Funding Higher Ed, and More

Report: Uganda Has Highest Female Drop-out Rate
A recent United Nations report shows that Uganda has the highest dropout rate in East Africa, with possible reasons being pregnancy, early marriage, costs, and family responsibilities. And because the Ugandan Education System does not allow girls who drop out of primary school to return (although boys are allowed to) these girls are almost always destined for a dismal future. Read more here.

Kenyan Teachers End Strike
After a week-long strike, the Kenya National Union of Teachers called off their strike yesterday, which started after the teachers demanded permanent and pensionable terms. In addition to new pension plans for all teachers, members of the union who went on strike will not be penalized, and the government has promised to come up with a long-term strategy to address the shortage of nearly 75,000 teachers countrywide. Read more here.

Indian Children Contracted HIV from Government-Hospital Blood Transfusions
23 Children with thalassemia (a rare genetic disorder that requires frequent blood transfusions) tested positive for HIV after receiving tainted blood transfusions at a government-run hospital in the Gujarat state. State government spokesman Jai Narayan Vyas stated that he has sent a team of doctors to investigate. The children are all from poor families and were given free blood transufusions because they could not afford them. Full story is over at the Huffington Post.

In Africa’s Universities, Quantity Threatens Quality
Uganda’s Makerere University, one of the continent’s most prestigious higher education institutions, is facing problems because of a shortage of professors and a lack of funds to pay them. Check out The Guardian UK’s article that takes a look at Uganda’s—and many other countries’—crisis: how to fund higher education at public universities and keep up with high academic standards.

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Maternal Health Challenges for Uganda

A recent article in the New York Times cites Uganda’s high maternal mortality rate as casting a harsh light on the entire health sector of the African nation. The article cites an internal war waging between those who believe government funds should be spent on social needs and those focused on defense spending. Recently it came to light that the state had spent great amounts of the country’s meager resources on Russian-made fighter jets.

Several heart-wrenching accounts could be told everyday about the struggles that Ugandan women face when seeking pregnancy-related medical care. Hospitals lack basic supplies needed for delivery and conditions within the building are often moldy and a home to bats and other animals. The United Nations recently estimated that Uganda’s population will almost triple to 94 million by 2050, with tens of millions more babies to be delivered. As it is, about 80 percent of the world’s maternal deaths occur in just 21 nations, 15 of which are in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the University of Washington study. Uganda was among them. About 5,200 women died from pregnancy-related causes in the country in 2008, the researchers estimated.

Educating women will help reduce these harrowing statistics, as more midwives, nurses and doctors graduate. Visit our directory to learn more about our partner working in Uganda.

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GIRLS WHO ROCK Concert Raised $17,000+ for She’s the First!

Have you ever wondered what you can accomplish when you combine music, technology, and a passion for girls’ education? We can tell you the answer: Over $17,000 in sponsorships for 29 girls!!

On June 10, the GIRLS WHO ROCK concert brought together music artists JoJo, Nikki Jean, Eddy, KimberlyNichole, Nina Sky, and DJ Kiss, with live-tweeting and a dancing robot during this summer’s Internet Week New York — and raised enough money to send 29 girls to school at the Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda! This is a huge jump from the first GIRLS WHO ROCK concert, which proudly sponsored three girls in Tanzania with $6,000.

GIRLS WHO ROCK 2011 from GIRLS WHO ROCK on Vimeo.

John Wanda, founder of AAH, returned from his summer trip to Uganda, where he told the girls all about She’s the First and the GIRLS WHO ROCK concert. Check out these photos he brought back — some of the girls share what they want to be the first to do!

They’ll be sending us their pictures and letters soon, and we’ll post their letters on the blog so you can write back. We can’t wait to meet them!

Thank you to EVERYONE — attendees, CauseVox page donors, GIRLS WHO ROCK production team, tweeters, etc. — who supported GIRLS WHO ROCK!

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Her Story: From Ugandan Schoolgirl to U.S. Photographer

Just Try: You Were Made for More
Guest post by Petronella

I was born in a tiny village in Uganda and immigrated with my family to the States when I was 10. I am the first in my family to attend high school and college in the United States. My parents were the first to attend graduate school in America.

The girl who rocks is my mother. When I was younger, she always told me that I could do anything I set my mind to do and she demonstrated that principle as a mother and as an inspiring, award-winning teacher.

Growing up in the States as a first generation family, we didn’t have much. My mother believed that education would open up doors to opportunities she didn’t have. So my parents enrolled my sister and I in a private school attended by the children of some of the wealthiest families in town. I never had any of the fancy clothes, cars or material things that my classmates had, but at Altamont, I was exposed to new and different people and experiences, which planted the seed inside me to dream a bigger life for myself. I was lucky to have teachers who saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself and encouraged me to work hard, study and try new things.

With every “try,” I took more risks and aspired for bigger dreams. I graduated college with an engineering degree, years later got my MBA and have had many amazing opportunities including travelling to various countries on 6 continents.

I’m so excited about attending the GIRLS WHO ROCK concert and supporting the girls at the Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda. Partly because Uganda is a patriarchal society, most girls never dream of lives beyond working in the fields, getting married, having kids and working as maids or housekeepers.

Organizations like She’s the First and the AAHU are so amazing because by supporting girls education in developing countries, their efforts are making a statement to these girls that they are special and deserve the best. It takes just one person who believes in you, adequate learning resources and a good education to dream for a bigger, better life.

To all the AAHU girls, I am one example of a girl who was born in a tiny village in Uganda, dreamed big, studied and worked hard and am pursuing new experiences and dreams all the time. I know for sure that who you and what you desire for your life is special, valid and important. I hope every single girl graduates, goes on to college and pursues their dreams and passions.

I hope to meet you one day and hear your amazing stories.

[Petronella currently lives in the greater New York area and is pursuing one of her dreams as a photographer: by Petronella Photography (www.bypetronella.com)]

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Stella’s Story: Education for Transformation

Stella’s Story: Education for Transformation
Guest post by: Carolyn Edlebeck, AAH Volunteer Coordinator

Last week a bright-eyed seventeen year-old girl looked me in the eye and said:

“Teacher, I never knew that girls like me could study in schools like these.”

——

As a young girl growing up in Eastern Uganda, Stella never imagined that she would have the opportunity to attend secondary school, most especially a secondary school in the capital city of Kampala. Stella grew up in a one room house on the sloping hills of Mt. Elgon. Throughout Stella’s childhood she attended primary school at the local school up the hill. The conditions at Stella’s school made it difficult for her to focus on her class work. Classrooms were over crowded, with at least 100 students per class. Learning materials were not enough and students spent all day without eating breakfast or lunch. Stella never received the personal attention from her teachers due to their over-demanding workload and daunting teaching situation. Due to these factors, Stella was never encouraged or challenged to think that she could do something more, become something more. To most, Stella was just another girl, another young face in the crowded class- destined to drop-out, marry early, and give birth at a young age.

Stella

However, this seemingly hopeless situation didn’t stop Stella. Stella continued to attend school daily. She was passionate about learning and strived to be among the best. She took advantage of any chance to learn and did not allow others’ low expectations to bring her down. Although she struggled with housework at night and was often exhausted from her long walk to school, daily fetching of water, and taking care of her younger siblings- Stella stayed up late to revise her notes by candle light. Stella knew that her only hope for a brighter future was through education.

Due to Stella’s high academic performance in primary school and her passion for learning, Stella was given a scholarship to attend a high-level, boarding school near Uganda’s capital, Kampala. This scholarship, through Arlington Academy of Hope’s Secondary Scholarship Program, has given Stella the opportunity to continue with her studies and achieve the future she had only dream of. This scholarship has opened the door for Stella and allowed her to study in a “school like this,” one which she had previously thought were not for “girls like her.”

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As I stared back at Stella and tried to conjure up a proper respond to her heartfelt comment I was overcome with emotion. How could a young girl of today not feel she was worthy to attend a decent school, to receive a proper education? How could I help Stella understand that SHE was the one who had worked for her opportunity and that she deserved the scholarship as much as anyone? How could I make her feel entitled to be THE FIRST girl to attend secondary school in her family? Honestly, no response could relay the emotions I felt. All I could do in that moment was to hug her and tell her how proud she should be of herself and how important it was for her to continue dreaming and aiming high. Her future was brighter than ever.

Stella’s comment made me realize the genuine impact Arlington’s scholarships and She’s the First are having on young girls throughout the world: a personal, life-changing impact. However, Stella’s childhood is not unique. Hundreds of thousands of girls in Uganda face the same daily challenges in school and at home as Stella faced. Support for these young girls is essential in order to enable them to lift themselves out of this reoccurring pattern of hopelessness and into a brighter future through education. It is only through higher education that these girls can choose and change their destiny to become what they have only dreamed of as possible. By giving girls, such as Stella, the opportunity to attend secondary school a new generation of girls will be empowered and it is this generation that will lead Uganda’s future.

[Editor's Note: Join us TONIGHT at the GIRLS WHO ROCK concert at Gramercy Theater in NYC to help us support the Arlington Academy of Hope!]

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AAH Girls’ Retreat in Mbale!

[Editor's note: This blog post was written by Caitlin Green and Carolyn Edlebeck.]

AAH girls play at their retreat in Mbale

Arlington Academy of Hope works very hard to raise intelligent and driven students. It is important that the Arlington staff and community continue to inform and sensitize the students, especially the girls, with all necessary life skills for them to be successful. As the young girls at AAH begin to grow and mature, there are many issues that they face as they move from the rural setting to their new secondary boarding schools. Therefore, AAH organized a P7 retreat with the aim of giving the girls an added foundation of self-confidence and understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle before they move on to higher education.

On August 6th-7th, the P7 girls joined AAH teachers on a weekend retreat to St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Mbale. The two-day retreat was full of activities and speakers for the P7 girls. The topics covered included Behavior and Self-Confidence, Relationships, Health, and the future plans. Five speakers from varying backgrounds came to speak to the girls on Friday and Saturday, giving expert advice on many issues ranging from HIV/AIDS, personal health, future goals, career aspirations, and the importance of having good, healthy relationships. One speaker, Justine Auma, was a clinical officer who spoke to the girls about health and hygiene. Another speaker was Pastor Frank Nankunda, who created a wave of excitement for the future and the importance of continuing education. The overall goal of the retreat was to equip the girls with useful and important information so that they could have control of their futures, health, and sexuality.

Overall, the retreat was a huge success! As Nakuti Carolyne in P7 commented, “I learned so much in Mbale. Now, I don’t think any girl in our class will drop out of school. I was so grateful for all the information our teachers and other speakers shared with us. I will never forget them. They have inspired me to have a successful future.”

Between speakers, everyone played games, had relay races, and listened to music. At the end of the retreat, each girl received a gift bag that included two pairs of underpants, a bar of soap, a jar of rubbing oil, shoe polish, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. This was a very successful and fun-filled event, for both the teachers and students. Hopefully, this will become the model for future girls’ retreats, because the value and importance of sharing information with young girls is critical for their success in secondary school and beyond.

[Editor's Note: Come support AAH in their mission to empower girls by attending our  GIRLS WHO ROCK concert in NYC -- TONIGHT!]

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