By: (Adama Finda Borway)
The She-Empowerment League on Friday 15th March, 2024 successfully held the Sister Cycle Symposium, a gathering of 45 girls and young women from diverse backgrounds and aimed at fostering opportunities, dialogue, empowerment, and solidarity among girls and young women from diverse backgrounds.
Held at the Africell American Corner, in Freetown, to commemorate this year’s international women’s day and celebrate the resilience and achievement of women, the Sister Circle Symposium served as a platform for empowering and inspiring girls and young women with insightful discussions, motivational speeches, and interactive sessions, as well as valuable insights, tools, and resources to navigate life’s challenges and pursue their dreams. Additionally, the event created a sense of solidarity among participants, encouraging them to support and uplift one another on their journey to success. The event was held in partnership with Sulcon, U.S Embassy-Sierra Leone, DCI-SL, Plan International-SL, Uman4Uman, and She Leads.
According to Her Lordship, the Mayor of Freetown, Ms. Yvnnoe Aki-Sawyerr, while delivering her speech at the event, dispassionately called on attendees to fight for their goals. She emphasized the importance of resilience and determination in pursuing one’s dreams “in the face of challenges and obstacles”.
Madam Asmaa Kamara James, founder and CEO of Rise Radio, additionally provided valuable insights on the power of media and communication research. She encouraged young girls to harness the influence of media platforms to amplify their voices and advocate for causes they believe in, highlighting that “there is vast potential for learning and growth through the media.”
In addition, Hawa Yokie, co-founder of the KamaraYokie Innovation Center, advocated for STEM education, underscoring the importance of breaking gender barriers and embracing opportunities in traditionally male-dominated fields. She said “My parents didn’t initially approve of my ambitions to go to science, so they restricted me on the use of computers but I was doing my research about science on the Internet. So I encouraged you all to use the internet”. Her impassioned plea sparked a sense of curiosity and ambition among the audience.
Similarly, in her statement, Madam Hawanatu Manasary, the programme manager of DCI – Sierra Leone as well as the National Network Coordinator for the She Leads programme in Sierra Leone, reminded attendees of their inherent strength and resilience to transform their individual stories and transform their lives. With storytelling, she instilled a sense of confidence and self-belief in every attendees, empowering them to embrace their potential and strive for greatness. She said “we are strong girls and so therefore when we come together we move mountains and that is why building movement amongst you is very crucial so work together strong vibrant girls and make that change.”
Other speakers who were also inspired during the symposium were Mellicentia Boateng and Adama Finda Borway founder and Programs Coordinator of She-Empowerment League. They encouraged attendees “to pursue their interests fearlessly for self-discovery and personal growth, encouraging girls and young women to step out of their comfort zones and chase their dreams with confidence “to stand up for gender equality and social justice.”
