In Tiko Sub-Division, Cameroon, conflict has changed every part of daily life. It has displaced families, closed schools, and unleashed a cycle of ghost towns and lockdowns, where movement is restricted and safety is never certain. For girls, this has meant the loss of classrooms and play, but even more, the risk of gender-based violence and early marriage. Yet even in this situation, girls are not only coping, but finding ways to lead.
I recall the story of a 16-year-old girl who, during one of the extended school and lockdown periods, converted her family’s small living room into a classroom. Each day, she assembled her younger siblings and neighbor children, and taught them from borrowed school books. For her, this was a bold act of resistance. It is this spirit that inspires the many other displaced girls who, in spite of all odds, are determined to fight for their education and the education of those around them.
“If we stop learning,we lose twice, first our homes, and then our future.”
In certain areas of Tiko Sub-Division, older girls are assuming the role of “big sisters,” guiding the younger ones through unsafe zones and building informal safety networks. They use these networks and safety guides to share information and support before and during unsafe travels. They are also combining limited materials to buy food and school supplies. Some even use storytelling, song, and dialogue to contest harmful practices that thrive during times of instability. These actions may seem minor, but they are, in reality, leadership in action, leadership that stems from care, resilience, and a hope for the future.
What needs to be made clear is that these stories highlight the fact that displaced girls aren’t simply waiting for assistance. They are actively developing solutions in their communities, frequently without the acknowledgement they deserve. The real question is if we are prepared to listen. All too frequently, policies and actions are implemented without consulting the girls, even though they know intimately what safety, dignity, and opportunity entail.
“On this International Day of the Girl Child, my appeal is simple: hear the girls and acknowledge them as leaders of their own transformations.”
Establish safe, girl-led environments where their voices are heard and their recommendations are acted upon. Support their education, invest in their livelihoods, and protect them. Change the assumption of seeing them solely as passive beneficiaries and recognize them as partners in the pursuit of peace and resilience. Even in the midst of conflict, ghost towns, and displacement, girls in Tiko are driving change. They just need people to stand with them.
