This week marks International Day of the Girl, a global event which draws attention to the crises that many girls face around the world, amplifying their voices and advocating for rights to education, healthcare and safety.
This year’s theme – The girl I am, the change I lead – is particularly poignant to us. It is a call-out to recognise girls’ leadership in the face of multiple hardships and extremes – and among the women we work with in Papua New Guinea, we see this taking shape each day, through the art of Bilum-weaving, culture, and connection.
In Mount Hagen, for example, Barbra, who is a cultural adviser and master weaver, embodies the spirit of resilience and kindness. Barbra has opened her home to “ten daughters”, young women who have faced tremendous hardship and uncertainty. Barbra offers them a safe harbour, access to healthcare, and, most importantly, a pathway to independence.
We see it, too, in the craft of Bilum, a skill passed from mother to daughter, generation to generation. It’s in these traditional acts of creation that girls are empowered to become leaders in their own micro-businesses, bringing together women in their communities to shape their future.
