She is creative, passionate and a lover of complete freedom. Through this project, she seeks to enable girls of ages 6 to 12 and young women of ages 13 to 20 from local communities discover their self-worth through creative arts.
Rehema established the Girl Be Project with the aim to put to an end to the negative psychosocial stereotypes that demean and degrade young women. A non-profit that has been changing lives for over 4 years without any funding. With the vision to create a society full of empowered young women with the knowledge and ability to create positive social, economic and political change, she set out to promote a brighter livelihood among girls and young women using art and crafts.
The Girl Be Project over the years has positively influenced a number of girls in small communities through creating a platform for learning through sharing skills, experience, knowledge and space.
By Boosting self-esteem, building entrepreneurial, leadership and inter personal skills, Girl Be Project has gone as far as to create employment opportunities for young women, Promoting creativity and effective social engagement within these communities.
As the founder of the Girl Be Project, Rehema acts as a bridge between the young women from local communities and the people or organizations who have the skills and resources for sustainable development. Through these partnerships, Girl Be has managed to help over 100 girls develop skills that have boosted their self-reliance and livelihood.
“Girl Be is based on my personal background influenced by AIDS, broken family, poverty and sexual harassment. Social injustice affects everyone in the community, I identify with girls and young women due to their vulnerability,” she says. “Empowering girls uplifts the entire community. Thus, the need to elevate them to their true worth”
She goes about her every day duties as a leader and role model for these girls with passion and extreme happiness despite the challenges encountered in running a non-funded NGO. “I am not running after Funders, fame or attention. All I live for is the girls. The line between Girl Be and me as the founder is very thin and soon will blur and disappear. My plan is to live with the girls in our house and eat from our own farm”.
Rehema sights technology, poor standards of education, corruption or commercialized religion as no excuse for the increasing rate of unemployment. “People are individuals who share same differences and through the commitment to bridge our in existent gaps, people find themselves and that brings them honest jobs or whatever they want to achieve in life”. She says.
Please visit the Girl Be website www.girlbeproject.com For more information on the great work that is being done with girls and young women in small communities.
