Girl Hub empowers Rwandan girls

Girl Hub, a project aimed at ensuring that girls take part in the design and implementation of policies and programs that affect them, recently recognized girls’ efforts in photography and film making.Over 26 girls were awarded certificates for their participation in film making and photography.Jessica Thornley, the Brand manager for Girl Hub’s Rwanda office, said photography was very powerful and transcends over all languages.“The girls were taught how to tell stories using photography. Photography communicates to everyone despite of language. It will also ignite the potential to transform the world for adolescent girls to be global girl champions,” she said, urging them to go out and inspire other girls. The film titled ‘The girl effect,’ capturing the spirit of the teenage girls in Rwanda, showed the energy and inspirational spirit of teenage girls. It was shot in Rwanda, Ethiopia and parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo among other countries.Thornley explained that such activities provide adolescent girls with skills that enable them to maximize their potential while giving them confidence to know that they have the ability to do what they hope to achieve.She added that currently, they are training nine girls between the ages of 14 to 24 to gain Journalism skills and be able to write for Ni Nyampinga magazine. The publication is about fostering a culture for girls that gives them the space, time and tools needed to experience their teenage years in the most positive way. It also aims at motivating girls and giving them a voice to speak about the issues that affect them.“When you invest in girls then you’re investing in the whole community. Women are likely to invest 70 percent of what they earn into the family and community while men will invest only 30 percent back into family and community. Therefore it’s better to invest in more women because the larger part of the community will be benefitting,” she added.Josiane Ingabire, 19, a senior six student of St. Patrick, Kicukiro, is a member of Girl Hub.She said it had helped build her talent of dancing and acting and made her know that she can develop a career through it.Ingabire said that before, the community used to make her feel like there was no dignity in dancing and acting but through girl hub, she is no longer ashamed to exercise her gift.