In honor of International Day of the Girl, 2019 graduate Flavia entered the Girl Rising Storytelling Challenge with her poem about African Girls Can. The organization, which promotes the value of all girls everywhere, received an astounding 1,500 entries from 95 countries! We are so proud of Flavia for sharing her voice and representing us and the girls of Northern Uganda!
“I want every girl to know that her voice can change the world.”
Malala Yousafzi
African Girls Can
by Adong Flavia
Look! There in the desert
Grows a tree, African Girls Can.
A blossom in the desert
Where hopeless, subdued young trees grow,
Suffering under the strong arms
Of gender inequality, watered
By the bad traditions of our ancestors
That today we blindly follow.
The desert blossoms!
If we must say, tell me!
Without African Girls Can,
Where would the future of our girls be?
I see history repeating itself,
Early marriages, no education, and male domination
Would be the story, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Now look! They’re in schools,
Running after their desired dreams.
Over the radios,
They speak for their rights, needs, and challenges.
In their communities,
Doing charitable works,
They teach the other young generation
To know their rights
And fight for gender equality.
When I say African Girls Can,
I mean, women just like men,
If given the opportunity, are equal
When we speak the same language
Of gender equity.
Education, empowerment and an ear to their voices
Is what African girls need.
And this is what I got from African Girls Can.
AGC! A cover from the striking arms of gender inequality.
Get to know Flavia (including another poem!).
Read about Flavia’s radio experience. She spoke about resilience.
The 15 finalists of the 2020 Girl Rising Storytelling Challenge.
