Introducing myself and my journal: Motivating Girls & Women to Seize Opportunities for Self-Reliance



About Me: Executive Director of Girls LEAD Change, Inc., and the DIAMONDS Girls program. The inspiration to call our girls’ program by this acronym (DIAMONDS) came to me from various aspects of my life. I was born and raised in Sierra Leone, where diamonds have been the most precious natural resources and have been exploited since the Colonial era; anyone who watched the movie \"Blood Diamonds\" knows to what length people would go for these precious jewels. Also, in Sierra Leone, women make up 52% of the population and are the primary caretakers of children, families and communities. We therefore, perceive women as the most precious human resources; yet they are the least educated, suffered the most gruesome atrocities during the war, 1 in 8 women die in childbirth and women have less than 15% representation in Parliament and even less in other leadership positions in the country. But like diamonds, women in Sierra Leone, like those in all other African nations, are strong, resilient and continue to maintain their integrity as the most precious human resources for families, communities and their nations. I grew up with a father who loved me immensely but did not believe in western education for his daughters. I arrived in the U.S. with an 8th grade education; but by nurturing my determination, I have been able to attain this level of education. This is what I hope to pass on to all girls who are facing obstacles to education and self-reliance. I believe that girls and women can reach their highest potential when they are able to overcome negative social trends that hinder their abilities to strive. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (Queens College, NY, USA); Master of Arts in Gender & Women's Studies (Towson University, MD, USA) and a Master of Arts in Legal and Ethical Studies (University of Baltimore, MD, USA). The African DIAMONDS Women, Inc., runs a youth development program (DIAMONDS Girls USA) in local communities in the U.S., coaching and mentoring inner city and other at-risk girls to overcome negative social trends and make positive choices. We also have the program in Sierra Leone, through which we provide scholarship to girls from rural villages who would otherwise not attend school. My Passions: Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Social Justice for all. My Challenges: Resources My Vision for the Future: A world in which women enjoy equality of rights in all spheres. My Areas of Expertise: Legal research, analysis and writing; advocacy, capacity building for women and our youths.

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