She Leads Mali: Reflecting on Five Years of Empowering African Girls and Young Women
For one week, 17th February to 21st February 2025, implementing partners of the She Leads – Mali project convened in Bamako, Mali, for their annual in-country reporting meeting.
She Leads, dedicated to empowering African girls and young women and amplifying their voices, has been a driving force for positive change across the country.
This gathering held particular significance as it marked the project’s fifth and final year, providing an opportunity to reflect on its successes, acknowledge challenges, analyze the evolving context, and distill key learnings for future initiatives.
“As we gather to reflect on the five-year journey of She Leads Mali, we celebrate not just a project, but a movement. A movement that has amplified the voices of young women, empowered them to become leaders, and ignited a spark of change that will continue to burn brightly for generations to come. This meeting is a testament to the power of partnership, the resilience of these young women, and the unwavering commitment to gender equality,” said Jackson Acha Atam, Mali Country Director of Plan International, in his opening speech.
The Bamako convergence which brought together Mali implementing partners under the She Leads Advocacy Network – ROAJELF Mali, Terre Des Hommes and representatives from Plan International Netherlands – served as a crucial platform for partners to share their experiences and insights gained throughout the project’s lifespan.
Discussions centered around the tangible successes achieved in empowering young women. Participants highlighted the project’s impact on building girls’ confidence, fostering their leadership skills, and creating platforms for them to express their opinions and participate actively in their communities.
Stories of individual transformation and collective action underscored the project’s effectiveness in creating lasting change.
As the Girls and Young Women Officer at FEMNET – one of the consortium partners, Muthoki Nzioka reflected, “Seeing the girls blossom into confident young leaders has been the most rewarding experience. Their voices are stronger, their aspirations higher, and their impact on their communities undeniable.”
While celebrating successes, the partners also frankly addressed the challenges encountered during implementation such as limited resources, cultural barriers, security concerns and political instability in Mali. Openly acknowledging these obstacles allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of working in this context and facilitated the identification of strategies to overcome similar challenges in future endeavors. The discussions emphasized the importance of adaptive management, flexibility, and strong community engagement in navigating these hurdles.
“We faced numerous challenges, from resource constraints to deeply ingrained cultural norms,” acknowledged Nene Goita, the She Leads Mali Country Coordinator. “But through collaboration and a commitment to listening to the girls themselves, we were able to adapt our strategies and achieve remarkable results.”
A critical component of the meeting was the in-depth context analysis, both internal and external. Participants examined the internal dynamics of the project, including its strengths and weaknesses, its operational efficiency, and the effectiveness of its partnerships. Simultaneously, they analyzed the external context, considering the socio-economic, political, and cultural factors that influenced the project’s implementation. This context analysis provided an in-depth understanding of the enabling environment and the constraints within which the project operated. It also highlighted the importance of understanding the specific needs and aspirations of the African girls and young women the project aimed to serve.
As the She Leads project draws to a close, the Bamako meeting served as an important moment to capture key learnings. These lessons, gained from five years of experience, will be crucial in informing future interventions aimed at African empowering girls and young women in Mali and beyond.
Key learnings included the importance of local ownership, the effectiveness of participatory approaches, the need for sustainable funding mechanisms and the power of mentorship programs. These insights will contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable programs that address the unique challenges and opportunities facing young girls and women in Africa.
The She Leads project has undoubtedly made significant strides in empowering African girls and young women and giving them a voice. The commitment and dedication of the implementing partners, coupled with the resilience and determination of the girls and young women themselves, have created a powerful force for change.
As the project concludes, She Leads will continue to inspire and empower future generations of young African women leaders in Mali. The knowledge and experience gained will serve as a valuable resource for those working to advance gender equality and empower young African women across the continent.
