Global G.L.O.W. Welcomes 17 New Global Partners

Global G.L.O.W.’s mentorship-driven programs are transforming girls and strengthening communities around the world. By partnering with locally-led organizations that best understand the needs of their communities, we’re ensuring that our SEL-based curriculum, facilitated by local mentors, can best equip adolescent girls to overcome the context-specific challenges they face. This year, Global G.L.O.W. is proud to welcome 17 new global partners to our fight for gender equality. In our largest expansion in organizational history, we now partner with over 60 organizations across 31 countries.

In just a few short months, our new partners have already begun noticing the impact of GLOW Club not just on club participants, but on parents and community members as well. We recently spoke to two of our newest partners, Lotus Flower Community School in Zambia and Women Relief Aid in South Sudan.

Here’s what they have to say about how GLOW Club is equipping girls to succeed, in their own words.

Lotus Flower Community School, Zambia: The Ripple Effect of Girls

GLOW Club members in Zambia celebrate the beginning of programming in their community.

By Geoffrey, GLOW Club Coordinator, Zambia

We are living in a society where patriarchy is mainstream. Women and girls have no voice – they cannot be heard. The challenges our girls are facing are illiteracy, poverty, and abuse. We’ve also found that discussions of sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and menstrual issues are never taught. Many in the community feel as though these topics are taboo.

What makes me most happy about GLOW Club is that it is specially for girls in our community. With the resources from Global GLOW, this whole program is being handled by women themselves. These women understand menstruation and human rights, and can speak from their own experiences. We run five clubs and have been fortunate to have five mentors who each work with approximately 20 club members. We’ve already seen girls eager for the next sessions of GLOW Club.

“Before the end of the program, these girls will have broken down cultural barriers standing in their way. This curriculum has come to change: not just our girls, but also the humanity within our community.”

The impact has already been noticed. The community is raising their children to find a way to attend these programs. With the GLOW Club program, participants are producing a real impact in the community. Before the end of the program, these girls will have broken down cultural barriers standing in their way. This curriculum has come to change: not just our girls, but also the humanity within our community.

Once a girl is empowered, she empowers her household and her community. That ripple effect will trickle down within Zambia, but also beyond our country to the whole of Africa. It’s important we look after the future of girls because we know the results are not isolated to just the girls: They grow beyond.

Women Relief Aid, South Sudan: Mentorship is Vital to Girls’ Development

In South Sudan, GLOW Club is equipping girls to challenge gender stereotypes.

By Dianah, GLOW Club Coordinator, South Sudan 

Women Relief Aid in South Sudan works to support young girls and women in crisis. We are championing our peace-building programs across the states of South Sudan and empowering our girls participants to be agents of peace for their country.

With 100 participants in our GLOW Club, we are excited to do away with the cultural stereotype in South Sudan that “girl’s can’t do it.” Because of the culture in South Sudan, a lot of girls get married early and may not finish their education. We are proving that girls can be independent. Girls can do it.

The GLOW Club curriculum is not only beneficial to their health, but will also change the way girls view their future. Some of the girls have dropped out of school, become pregnant, or might not be engaged in healthy relationships. At the end of the day, many of these girls make choices they are unsure of simply because they were not guided. Through this curriculum, girls will know how to make healthy decisions in relationships with the opposite sex, among themselves as adults, and with their families.

“Because of the culture in South Sudan, a lot of girls get married early and may not finish their education. We are proving that girls can be independent. Girls can do it.”

Global G.L.O.W.’s programs will also empower them to love their community, culture, and country. As girls, we are a part of society. We need to study, we need to be economically empowered, and we need to be elevated to leadership positions. As a mentor, I’m so excited and thankful to be on this journey with the girls in the program. I’ve already seen these girls develop high levels of self-esteem and collaborative agreement. They have confidence to stand up, share their names and their stories, read poems, and sing.

As these girls holistically develop into impactful women of society, they will achieve great things in our 21st century world.

Global G.L.O.W. partners with community-based organizations in 30 countries to operate mentorship-driven programs for girls ages 10-18. Our SEL-based curriculum gives girls the tools to express themselves, advocate for their rights, and challenge the most critical barriers to achieving gender equality. Support our work at globalgirlsglow.org/donate.

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