South African actress Zikhona Sodlaka shared a heartfelt post celebrating the young girls who graduated from the South African Women In Dialogue (SAWID) mentorship programme.
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Zikhona detailed the programme as one of mentorship, training, and dialogue, catering to young girls between 12 and 17.
Honouring young women
The Rhythm City star recently sat in a packed auditorium as she watched 25 young girls graduate from a programme aimed at empowering them and intentionally carving out a path to a bright future for them. She recognised the programme organisers first.
“For months, Walter Sisulu University and South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID) walked beside girls aged 12 to 17 through dialogue, mentorship and leadership training,” she wrote, acknowledging the work the university and non-profit organisation have done in these girls’ lives.
“They did it because too many girls carry burdens far too heavy for their age, and because their voices deserve a safe place to be heard before the world tells them otherwise. They called it the Her Rising Leadership Programme for Girls,” she stated, acknowledging the burden many adolescent girls face from different backgrounds within the South African context.
The 41-year-old actress then commended them, writing, “And they rose.”
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A humble guest
Zikhona shared how honoured she was to simply witness the culmination of people believing in the potential of young women, to the point of such a full investment in the young girls graduating from the programme.
“I was honoured to stand in that room as a guest, and I’m still holding it in my heart,” she wrote.
What was supposed to be a talk of encouragement, urging the young girls to be self-reliant, self-confident, and about the significance of education meant so much more to her.
“I came to speak to them about resilience, about believing in yourself, and about how far education can carry you. But the truth is, I looked at those girls, and I saw me,” she further shared, stating how she wished she had a room like that for her younger self.
She then wrapped up her encouraging caption with a warm tribute to all the girls:
“To every girl reading this: you are seen. You are worthy. You are allowed to rise,” she said.
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Featured image: Instagram/@zikhonasodlaka
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