Kayonza: More than 500 girls attended the 2022 GLOW Regional Summit

Ready for Reading in partnership with Global G.L.O.W hosted an annual Regional GLOW Summit in Rwanda from 10th to 12th August 2022, At Ready for Reading in Rwinkwavu sector, Kayonza District in Eastern Province.

2022 GLOW Regional Summit gathered around 510 girls from different sites who are members of GLOW Programs from She Honed for Excellence in Bugesera District, REAP from Musha Sector, Rwamagana  District, Kayonza Youth Friendly center in Mukarange and  at Ready for Reading in Rwinkwavu Sector.

2022 GLOW Regional Summit purpose was to help girls who are in GLOW Programs from all the above-mentioned sites to connect,learn, and exchange. Girls had time to learn from different GLOW Alumni achievements, meet with different Gender advocates equality andhave dialogues and have fun.

The 510 GLOW girls from GLOW Clubs, Healthy GLOW, Girl Solve programs in different sites spent three days networking, learning, discovering and sharing their GLOW Summit experiences, the activities planned for the GLOW Summit were designed to equip them with the skills and resources they need to thrive. GLOW Summit provided GLOW girls with a fun, joyous, and safe way to give every girl a joyful and empowered mindset in the Summit.

The 510 GLOW girls had practical sessions about Public Speaking Tips and Practices, Gender Concept, Human Rights, Types of Gender Based Violence and prevention. They also learned from their elders GLOW Alumni who are bringing changes in their communities through different projects dealing with different issues hindering their communities to note; School dropout, reusable sanitary pads production, GBV awareness and prevention, Girls Right promotions.

Through Gender Dialogue GLOW girls learned from gender Equality personalities about unexplored power of girls, they were encouraged to not stay quite where their rights are violated, and vowed to be the best of themselves through sharing their ideas freely without fear fighting gender based violence, promoting gender equality and bringing awareness about equal rights in their communities.

Excited GLOW program beneficiary Henriette from Rwinkwavu Girl Solve program sharing her experience in GLOW Regional Summit she said “GLOW Summit was a great opportunity for us to know and exchange with other girls we share the same GLOW programs from different area of the country, we learned about services we can join in reporting abuses and to say NO to Gender inequalities”

GLOW Program Regional Coordinator “ It all start with mindset! This GLOW Summit and the GLOW Program in general are the opportunities to help girls explore their potentials and guide the young ladies in their journey to become best of themselves. Our country has good policies around gender equality and this summit time is the best moment and channel to communicate and educate and practice and We are here simply taking girls through different sessions that help them to aim higher to ensure the speed societal progress.”

Rwinkwavu Executive Secretary Claude Murekezi urged the participants of GLOW Regional Summit to network, unite and fight different issues in their communities in order to transform the world.

About Ready for Reading (RfR): Ready for Reading is a registered Non-Governmental. Organization and has established 7,800 sq. ft. Rwinkwavu Community Library and Learning. Center (RCLLC), located in an underserved rural area in Eastern Rwanda- Rwinkwavu that serves as a center of opportunity, hope and healing. Ready for Reading seeks to empower all ages of the Rwinkwavu community through Girls Empowerment, technology and life skills, enhancing academic, social, cultural and economic opportunities for both personal and community growth and enrichment.

Global GLOW is a 501(c) 3 is a nonprofit organization that creates and operates innovative programs to mentor girls to advocate for themselves and make their communities stronger. In Rwanda, GLOW Programs and GLOW Summit are implemented through the partnership of Global GLOW and Ready for Reading and She Honed for Excellence organizations.

Global GLOW: Global GLOW is a nonprofit that partners with different organizations to run programs and such GLOW Summit in 23 countries internationally, including Cameroon, Colombia, Haiti, Honduras,India, Kenya, Nepal, Philippines, Uganda, Rwanda… GLOW Summit is available to school, districts, teachers, and community organizations through a one-of-a-kindpartnership with girlscentered organizations.