Powered by Graça Machel Trust, Girls Leaders Forum (GLF) launched the partnership with the Pan African Adolescent Girls’ Movement which has arrived in Rwanda, the event which took place on 7th November 2025, bringing together different girls from various universities, secondary schools and higher learning institutions.
During this event youth were reminded of their power and capabilities in becoming leaders, to fly high like eagles, empowering them to go beyond the fear and bring the change to the community.
Tafaul Aneel, a student at Kepler University described how GLF has been useful to her. “As we know girls are not used in leadership, the higher you go, the fewer women you are going to find, in GLF we learn about leadership and believing that we are going to create positive impact in our country and in Africa.“She shared.
GLF has not stopped in university schools but also reached in secondary schools. Ukunzwenayo Lowis, a student at GS Mata has testimony of what GLF had brought as change in her leadership skills.
“I learnt a lot from GLF, like self-confidence, knowing my own value, raising my voice so that I can be heard. A girl is taught of having self confidence in each and everything, we get to know that what others do, we can also do it.” She testified.
The Pan African Adolescent Girls’ Movement has similar goals to that of GLF, which include raising women’s voice in leadership. DARLEE DE LANGE, Senior Program Officer at the Pan African adolescent girls’ movement described the aim of this organization.
“As we know African girls are still the most vulnerable in the entire world, to issue such as violence, lack of education, early child marriage and so on, this program finds that girls need to be capacitated and to be surrounded with advocates to teach them how to advocate for their own rights.” She mentioned.
Nkundimfura Rosette, the Executive Director of Girls Leaders Forum (GLF) in Rwanda narrated the role it played in improving leadership among girls.
“Girls Leaders Forum(GLF) came with the target of changing 4 things, the first was leadership in women, which is something that pushed me because people used to think that girls deserve secretary, gender, protocol positions, I am proud that GLF has reached in many universities and secondary schools and things have changed, girls are performing well, girls are in key leadership positions. As GLF we are happy that the mindset has changed, in more than 500 members none of them got unwanted pregnancy.” She Stated.
GLF started working in 2012 in Rwanda, it has reached in 20 universities,10 secondary schools and it has the goal of reaching to 800 girls across the country.
