In April, our Movement’s voices were heard on a continental stage at the 3rd Africa Children Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Hosted by South Africa’s Department of Social Development in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, this three-day, child-led forum convened over 300 in-person delegates from in Africa–alongside hundreds more online–to craft an Outcome Statement demanding free, inclusive education, safer schools, and stronger child-protection laws.
Twenty-six girls representing six countries took to the Summit’s main hall, transforming backstage jitters into bold advocacy. When 13-year-old Tapiwa Magureyi spoke of school safety and every child’s right to learn, ministers and delegates listened in silence–and later committed to incorporating the Children’s Statement into national action plans. “I never imagined my poem would shape a continent’s agenda,” Tapiwa reflected.
The Summit’s impact rippled home immediately. Returning delegates organised local advocacy days, meeting with education officials to press for safer classrooms and scholarship support. Their poems and drawings–created to mark 35 years of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child–were featured in the AU’s commemorative magazine, proving that creative expression can drive real policy change.
Sister eagles took flight
Behind every thriving nest stands a ‘Sister Eagle’–our trained facilitator who mentors, encourages, and sometimes listens. In Katlehong township, six new Sister Eagles guided 124 girls through spirited debates on self-belief. In Addis Ababa’s crowded community hall, ten more practised icebreakers get even the quietest student to share her hopes. In Nairobi, Lusaka, and Suswa, over 60 women have caught the Movement’s spirit, ready to spread it in new neighbourhoods.
In Lusaka, nest members sat with GMT’s Programme Director, Shiphra Chisha to discuss different topics from exam stress to early marriage. They asked honest questions and shared their concerns, giving Sister Eagles a clear view of how these conversations help girls develop leadership skills.
Clicks that carried courage
Not every girl can reach a nest in person. That’s why #MyKiota–our online hub–has become a lifeline. In just one month, 17,400 views poured on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Girls tune into live leadership sessions, share messages of encouragement, and post videos celebrating each small victory: the first time they spoke in a meeting, the moment they helped a friend through a hard choice.
A comment from one of the Nairobi girls: “I watched the session with my little sister; now she dreams of starting her own nest.” Moments like that remind us how a single post can spark a thousand new beginnings.
Turning ideas into actions
Our girls don’t stop at workshops and webcasts. Inspired by the Summit’s success, they drafted a Youth Policy Brief, urging local councils to build safer learning centres. In Malawi, Chikondi and her peers met with district officials–once hesitant, now attentive–to secure funding for clean water taps near their school. “They listened because we spoke with conviction,” Chikondi beams.
These victories may seem small on paper, but for a teenager who once doubted her voice, they’re monumental. They prove that when young leaders speak up, decision-makers take notice.
What’s next?
Thanks to our carefully selected implementing partners, community centres in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Nigeria are set to launch soon extending our reach to thousands more girls.
We were honoured to join the 4th NalaFEM Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, themed From Representation to Power: Women Leading in Crisis & Peace. GMT’s Senior Programme Officer for the pan-African Girls’ Movement, Dalreé de Lange, and our ‘Sister Eagle’ from Ethiopia, Amen Biniyam, shared practical insights on moving young women from simply having a seat at the table to exercising real power in governance and peacebuilding. The summit fostered genuine connections, sharpened leadership skills, and inspired collective action for women’s meaningful participation in crisis response and peace processes. In a world of complex challenges, it is more vital than ever that young African women lead the way.
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In every village and virtual space, one truth endures: when you invest in an adolescent girl, believing in her potential, equipping her with the right tools, and amplifying her story, you ignite a force capable of transforming families, communities, and entire nations.
Every smile, every speech, and every shared story reminds us why this Movement matters. Wherever there is a girl with a dream, the Trust will be there to help her soar.