Rwanda’s Powerful, Gentle Voice of Change

“I love music because it soothes me. I play my guitar, and I feel happy…”

Consolée is a 19-year-old Rwandan girl whose songs caught the attention of her community, and helped them discover the potential of listening to a girl. Her story was featured in the Girl Hub teen-magazine, Ni Nyampinga, to inspire thousands of other girls across Rwanda.

“My neighbors thought it was really strange I was a girl who played music. They seemed astonished, but they’re getting used to it.”

When it was clear to her father that his daughter had a talent and love of music, he chose to sell his cow to buy her a guitar. Today, she takes it with her everywhere, to church, to school. Her father believes, “For our children to cope with today’s times, they need to open their minds. I would not treat a child any differently because they are a girl.”

4GGL thanks The Girl Effect for bringing this story to our attention.

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The Girl Effect is about leveraging the unique potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves, their families, their communities, their countries and the world. [/symple_column][symple_column size=”one-fourth” position=”last” fade_in=”false”]

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