Strong girls, powerful women

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What if you were a young girl who was forced to leave your home, your community, your country? What if you are just hitting puberty and have to adjust to new people, new culture, new practices? What if your family depends on you to take care of them?

It’s hard to imagine what life is like for refugee girls. These young women face unbelievable challenges and the odds are stacked against them. But at the same time, if they’re given the right opportunities, they have great potential and the capacity to overcome their extremely difficult situations.

We at the Women’s Refugee Commission are excited to be launching “Strong Girls, Powerful Women.” This campaign, on our website and Facebook page, tells the story of what it’s like to be young and displaced through the words of a young Somali refugee, “Amina.” Amina’s story is based on the real experiences we have heard about through our interviews with displaced adolescent girls. Originally from Somalia, 12-year-old Amina was forced to flee with her family to a refugee camp in Ethiopia.

Each week till October 11–International Day of the Girl Child, we’ll post an entry from Amina’s journal exploring her days there and the challenges she and other girls face in the camp.

Later this summer, we will introduce “Rosalia,” who had to leave Central America because of threats against her and was smuggled into the United States.

These stories bring to light and life the harsh realities refugee girls around the world face and at the same time demonstrate the tremendous potential they have to become strong, powerful women.

Please join our campaign and learn about the daily struggles of girls like Amina, Rosalia and others. Each week we’ll be posting a new entry on our  website, so stay tuned…

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