Arming young women with quality education
HOW do you see yourself? As a Rock Girl we were taught to hold our heads up high with confidence and say: “I am strong, independent, beautiful and someone who speaks my mind and stands up for what I believe in.”
All people have voices and Rock Girls are using theirs to empower young women.
It hurts as young women to see our sisters being treated inhumanly. What a watershed year its been for women and for feminism, and we refuse to accept the pandemic of violence against young women and girls – the rape, the murder, the beatings, the harsh harassment on the streets and the threats online.
In our own communities and schools we witness how gang violence has affected the lives of young people. The life of a gangster has become the life some young people wish they had.
Nelson Mandela said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” and as some of the Rock Girls are heading towards matric, there is nothing but growth and excitement ahead for us.
Being a Rock Girl for six years has changed our lives and taught us that no matter what obstacles we face, it’s up to us to change the situation.
Rock Girls made it their mission to show young girls that when we stand together we are more powerful than anything else and we as girls should set examples for others. And it’s our duty to educate each other.
We can use education to break barriers and achieve success. We must strive to become independent women. Girls need to be educated about their worth. We must break down the walls that prevent all girls from receiving quality education.
We know that if girls stay in school their life opportunities dramatically expand. Girls with access to education, not only improve their own lives, but also bring positive change to their families and communities. It is not just girls though, we must educate our boys and young men to respect girls and women.
Every girl in the world deserves an equal chance at education. We meet many young girls who speak about their difficulties, how it takes hours and miles to walk to school yet they are still determined.
As sisters, we need to support one another because when something hurts one of us, it hurts all of us.
We have learnt that education is a powerful weapon indeed, so let’s arm our young girls with it.