Every year on October 11, the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child — a moment to recognize girls’ rights, leadership, and the barriers they continue to face.
This year’s UN theme, “The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis,” highlights the powerof girls’ voices and the urgent need to support their education,health, and leadership—especially in fragile contexts where girls are nearly 90% more likely to be out of school.
With this global call to action as our backdrop, CDF Canada was proud to partner with the East Gonja District Assembly (EGDA) and local stakeholders to bring this message to life through our VOICE for Women and Girls project.
The celebration opened with a vibrant radio discussion, where brilliant young students shared their hopes and challenges as girls in their community. Their voices rang with honesty about educational aspirations, social expectations, and the support they need to fulfil their potential. This aligns with the global call to create girl-led spaces and elevate what girls say and see.
The next day, the town of Salaga came alive: a colourful float wound its way through the streets, raising awareness about girls’ rights and empowerment. That was followed by a free breast-screening session, an acknowledgement that girls’ and young women’s health is a critical pillar of empowerment. Alongside this, we sponsored sanitary pads and other essential items, directly addressing one of the invisible barriers to schooling and self-confidence.
We were honoured to welcome distinguished guests, including Madam Amanda Wecheng (Girl Child Officer), Madam Abibah Abubakari-Soala (Director of Education), Hon. Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahim (MP for Salaga South) and other local dignitaries. Their presence elevated the message: Girls matter. Their voices and well-being count.
CDF Canada’s VOICE project, active in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, works to strengthen co-operatives and credit unions while empowering women and girls to lead inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth.
This year’s celebration in Salaga beautifully reflected those goals, bringing several of VOICE’s key pillars to life:
When girls are supported, educated, healthy, and safe, they uplift entire communities and economies. Girls remain disproportionately affected by crises — from conflict to climate shocks — highlighting the need to invest in their leadership and resilience. Through initiatives like VOICE, global goals translate into local action — from community floats to hygiene support and health education. This work extends far beyond a single day of celebration: VOICE’s commitment continues through 2028, empowering tens of thousands of women and girls to create lasting change.
As we move forward, our focus remains on creating spaces where girls’ voices are heard and valued , from schools and radio programs to community forums. We’ll continue making health and well-being a central part of empowerment, while strengthening pathways to economic opportunity through co-operatives and skills training. And just as importantly, we’ll keep engaging men and boys as allies, working together to challenge and change the social norms that hold girls back.
Let’s keep the momentum. Celebrate girls not just on October 11 but every day. Share their stories. Advocate for their rights. Support programs that empower them.
