THE CHANGE, WOMEN'S VISION.

It is sad to see the multitude of girls grow up without having had an opportunity to not only consider and explore, but pursue their own passions and interests in life. A girl should have the opportunity to grow up with the same freedom as boys to discover their interests and pursue them. Marriage should not be the only goal she is allowed to give focus. For even marriage doesn’t have a lifetime guarantee. Imagine the situation an uneducated woman finds herself in if her and her husband separate. Many men will not care for their children after marital separation. From every angle you look at it, it is so important that a girl is not only given the right to an education, but also to pursue an education in a field of interest to her.

My vision is to create an environment where the girls of my country are encouraged to think for themselves and about themselves. Marriage should not have to be their primary focus. I want to give them an environment where they are allowed to develop naturally along their own individual interests. Marriage is not for everyone. And in our society it is considered shameful to break up a marriage, therefore many women decide to die with empty, valueless lives, rather than disclose their suffering that they might be freed. Many women of my country go to their grave in silence simply because it is taboo to disclose what they suffer inside the doors of their home.

I intend to create a Center of Cultural Change. The Center will have two components: Girls and Married Women. For Women, we will have sessions where women will be encouraged to share their thoughts, and especially what they suffer behind closed doors, that we might support, encourage, and share wisdom with one another. Many women have health problems because their problems are bottled up inside. They are traumatized, but have nowhere to turn. They are forced by culture or society to be silent, to remain silent, to die in silence. This creates inner wounds, severe emotional problems, and finally serious illness.

We will create a program for girls that opens their understanding and elevates their thinking regarding being a girl. Girls are taught that their only thoughts should surround their adult lives as wives and mothers. Girls who want to pursue an education most often suffer from a lack of support to move forward with those interests, especially if they live in the village. And then girls in the village are constantly exposed to sexual violence, whether inside their own homes, or when stepping outside to work their fields or fetch water.

And then as well, the majority of girls are not informed regarding menstruation. Most have to look for advisers from outside their homes, and this means that they are misled by their peers. We must work to break the silence in our families about these things, for our daughter’s sakes. Parents must become their daughters advisers about these things. In addition, every parent should discourage their daughters to marry early. This is bad for their physical and mental health, but also keeps them from being able to continue their studies. Moreover, girls must have it in their mind that they must take their own life in hand as they mature, constituted with a determination not to suffer from the things their moms were forced to suffer.

I want to be a Voices of our Future Correspondent because it will strengthen my ability to speak out for change in the world. I will gain experience in publishing my voice, and have opportunity for my voice to be published through World Pulse’s partner media organizations. Being a Voices of our Future Correspondent will also give me the opportunity to connect with progressive grassroots women leaders from around the world, and learn from the multicultural life experiences of the other Correspondents in training.

Voice of our future will help me to achieve my vision of learning how best to communicate my heart, how to advocate in order to be heard. Voices of our Future is light for my path.