Founded in 2012, GESSL is women-led, and engages vulnerable girls between the ages of 12 and 16 years in Sierra Leone. The organization provides girls with skills and knowledge, in addition to building their confidence to become the next generation of women leaders in Africa. Over 100 girls and their families have benefitted from two annual summits, as well as a series of workshops to empower girls and connect them to female mentors in Sierra Leone and the Diaspora.
Over a one year period, GESSL provides workshops focused on leadership and self-development, sexual and reproductive health, community development, entrepreneurship and technology. Furthermore, girls participate in community projects to address pertinent issues in their communities. Ultimately, these programs are designed to nurture leadership potential, build sisterhood and foster networking and transformative mentorship.
At the height of the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, GESSL devised innovative ways and alternatives to ensure that girls could access continued education and emergency relief. With the disastrous impact of the Ebola, especially to social infrastructure, this fundraiser provides a unique vehicle to share GESSL’s story, raise visibility about its work and mobilize diverse resources for sustained impact.
Moiyattu Banya, Co-Founder of GESSL has been working closely with AWDF USA in an advisory role as well as supports AWDF USA’s communications efforts. In 2015, AWDF is celebrating 15 years and AWDF-USA is partnering with GESSL to raise visibility in the US about the presence and work of AWDF on the continent.
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