From Silence to Strength: My Journey as an AGYW Leader in Kaduna 

In May 2025, I walked into a leadership training hall in Kaduna with hesitation in my steps and silence in my heart. I was just another 24-year-old community health volunteer from Chikun LGA—quiet, unsure, and mostly invisible in spaces where big decisions were made. I had passion, yes. But for years, I had felt that passion wasn't enough. I didn’t think young women like me had the right, the power, or the space to speak — especially on issues like HIV, TB, and gender-based health disparities that directly affected us.

That perception changed the moment I joined Open Heart Community-Based Initiative’s leadership, advocacy, and communication workshop for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW).

Over the course of that three-day training, something inside me began to shift.

We were trained by powerful, brilliant women — like Ms. Gift Madi, who spoke about finding your leadership voice, and Ms. Fumi Atama, who broke down what it means to advocate for systemic change. They didn’t just teach. They listened. They created a space where our voices — even the timid ones — mattered. For the first time, I saw women who looked like me, who had walked similar paths, standing tall and leading from the front.

The sessions on gender-transformative advocacy were particularly life-changing. I realized that the barriers I faced weren’t just personal — they were systemic. Gender norms, societal expectations, and lack of representation were keeping many AGYW out of health governance and decision-making spaces. But we weren’t powerless. We just hadn’t been given the tools.

With every session, I gained confidence. I began to understand the policies shaping my health and the rights I could claim. I found strength in shared stories — from AGYW living with disabilities, from queer women who had been silenced, and from others who, like me, had always assumed advocacy was for "others."

The moment that crystallized it for me was our mock advocacy pitch session. For the first time, I stood in front of a room and confidently articulated the need for AGYW representation in Kaduna’s HIV and TB technical working groups. My voice didn’t shake. My hands didn’t tremble. I spoke with purpose — not just for myself, but for the hundreds of girls who have never had the chance to be heard.

After the training, I was paired with a mentor — a feminist advocate with over a decade of experience. She has continued to guide me as I begin developing a local campaign in my LGA to challenge stigma in health centers and promote youth inclusion in primary healthcare planning. Just two months ago, I was too afraid to speak at my community health forum. Last week, I facilitated a session on rights-based health access for teenage girls in my ward.

This transformation is not just mine. It is the story of many AGYW across Kaduna who were given the chance to step into their power through this GEF-supported project.

Today, I am not just a volunteer. I am a leader. I am an advocate. And I will not be silent again.

#AGYWLeadership #FromSilenceToStrength #KadunaGirlsRise #OpenHeartStories