Internet Access and a breakthrough in many folds.

A Brief Background
Part 1

I am very passionate about the subject of Girls and Women's Empowerment. I am Princess Marie-Claire Nabila Kuja. I am from Cameroon; a trained nurse and gender specialist who have engaged almost a decade's experience in writing, mentoring, adolescent girls and women's empowerment as well as a very keen interest around girls and women's stories. Almost a decade ago I started writing for an online life style magazine called E-zine on self-esteem and women empowerment. I have authored three bestselling self-help books {Amazon kindle Top 100} on self-esteem building and other empowerment related topics. I am also a self -esteem and empowerment columnist for Unlia Magazine, a New York based life style magazine. Details of my work can be found at http://www.falselabelseries.biz/
And www.unliamagazine.com

Against my background growing up in Cameroon, I was resilient and determined to break away from the ordinary and pursue my dreams to visibly contribute to development in my country and other parts of the world especially its women and girls. I missed a step as a teen and got pregnant. Life took a different turn as I was immediately stigmatized and treated like and outcast which was greatly damaging to my self-esteem. However, I had a great family who understood the importance of education and decided to give me another chance by sending me to school. Life in school was a nightmare as the bullying [taunting, teasing and name calling] got even worst. But I made a life changing decision—to make education my first and only priority. This decision changed my life because it eventually earned me an opportunity to study abroad (U S A).Education both in the classroom and reading self-help books on self- esteem building, confidence and other related topics plus my personal determination to succeed inspired, empowered and encouraged me to transform my life. In the course of my experience working with development organizations, and studying abroad {USA} I realized my passion for girls and women's empowerment grew even more and more so I kept pursuing this passion with every fiber in me.
I am excited to be a World Pulse member and I look forward to engaging as much support as I can get to improve my work and share my experiences with other vibrant women doing so much for girls and women around the world.Today’s girls are tomorrow’s mothers and leaders, Women & Girls voices need to count once and for all.

The Organization

As a means of passing on the privilege I had, I set up an Organization called False Labels Global Inc. False Labels Global Inc. Which is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization established in New York in 2012, primarily seeks to provide a platform where girls and women around the world can be inspired and empowered through self-esteem building workshops and empowerment conferences. We also help girls who have the brains but no money with tuition assistance. As part of our program we assist girls to stay in school buy helping with reusable sanitary pads. While a lot of support from local and international organizations are directed at girls and women in the local communities in most African countries, I turned my focus towards the underserved girl and woman;{ rape victims, domestic violence victims, teenage moms, the very poor and disadvantaged woman, children orphaned by HIV & Aids, breast ironing victims and female genital mutilation victims}. The believe is that their self –esteem {true sense of self-worth and individuality} has been tampered with. They feel like outcast because of the shame and stigma attached to their misfortunes. They stand a greater chance of giving up in life or risk drifting through life with no sense of purpose. The truth is that in these women and girls lies a lot of untapped potentials. If given the opportunity they will become future leaders no doubt. My mission is to convince them or persuade them enough to bring those potentials out despite all odds, by making them to see and value themselves again.

Trip to Zimbabwe (The power of Internet access & Social Media)

I was born in Cameroon my parents came from very humble origin. My father was orphaned when he was six years old and my mother was married to my father before she ever got to start primary school. She was one of those whose fathers didn't see the need to educate the girl child. She was thus given away into early marriage so her bride price was used to pay school fees for her brother.

So my parents worked very very hard to give my siblings and I the best education thst we could afford.That meant I was very blessed snd privileged. But all around me I could sense that something in my society was crumbling.
Rising poverty
Gender in balance
Domestic violence
Rape n teen pregnancies
I didn't understand it so it , but I thought perhaps I could go to those who live these truths.
So at a very tender age I began to so closed to women and girls who were looked at differently by the society. This was a time in my life when I was being treated like an outcast as well.It felt painful so I brought myself to know how these people felt and the conditions that lead to hatred, violence and resentment . They had no one else.I understood then how bad it is to be discarded.I also understood how bitter it was being a woman in the hardest circumstances in the world and feeling that my very own existence is a source of shame.

The lessons that I learned in these places and have continuously learn from these people, I could never have found them in any school or in books and these were decisions that guided my character and decision and will continue for the rest of my life.

when I went to nursing school and was approaching graduation,I was already imagining how beautiful life will be.Nursing is a noble and well being job plus the opportunities to further my education.But something deep was calling.Almost everyday there was news of a girl being raped either to death or left paralyzed.Then one day I saw a picture and story of a girl in Zimbabwe who was raped and left paralyzed.On yet another day I read a story of a five years old girl raped to death by her two step brothers in Nigeria.I just dreaded every beat of it and those stories continued to hunt me.I wanted to help but didn't know how. I remember back in 2009 I was watching CNN hero awards and saw an amazing woman who has safed and empowered thousands of girls. Therefore spent almost two years trying to friend on facebook all to no avail. But finally in 2013 I got her and we connected son well -So when the trip to Zimbabwe came along I couldn't hesitate because that was something I longed for.I started women and girls of strength conference for girls like 9years old shea in Zimbabwe,12 years old teenage mother in Cameroon 7years old rape victim in India..To give access to the world I know,the people,the resources,the networks.To help them discover what is already in them despite all.It was one of the profounding moving experiences of my life .what it taught me was that anything I ever wanted to change I have the power to do it.I had just found a way to inspire and empower others.

"The truth is there are no super heros.Its just us.we are the ones that we've been waiting for". For more about my trip to Zimbabwe click on the link below.

What solutions are you creating to make the Internet more accessible to women in your community?

During my empowerment journey Zimbabwe my team and I conducted a collective survey of the challenges the girls may be experiencing accessing the internet.Of course there are still overwhelming barriers holding women back online:In most cases it is believed that girls especially in developing countries use the internet as a means of connecting with men, making the local men to believe that's all the internet is for.There are also power outages which makes it very difficult to access the Internet. Physical safety threats on the women is a big issue as well. There is also the lack of women-friendly spaces; from government censorship to family or community attitudes towards women and girls who use the Internet. During my interactions with some of the girls and women I noted that they lack the possession of any personal tools (computer, smart phone or tablet) to access the internet on their own. Also, they cannot afford to go to the internet cafe as often as they may desire and this is further influenced by the insecurity of the girls going to the internet cafe on their own plus the high prices associated with accessing the Internet.I am aware that in selected project areas women and girls affairs are sometimes relegated to the background. This makes this class of victims to function like “stand alone computers”. My projects create a forum for them to link and learn from one another.  Unlike just hearing over the radio or television set, they get to link with other girls around the world. While these challenges are common all over the world and encountered by the women too, there is no doubt that effective intervention must evolve to remedy these challenges girls and women face accessing the internet. Indeed, the internet has revolutionized globalization and is at the centre of modern development and advancement and girls and women need to get on board to be visible and relevant.I am inspired to reach this group (the voiceless) because girls that are empowered at an early age tend to emerge empowered women who would also empower other women and minimize the demand for empowerment intervention among women tomorrow.  

Watch this space for part 2