HerFlow Foundation, in partnership with GrassROOTS Community Foundation, presents Invest in Girls Summit, an initiative created to empower girls by ensuring that they have the resources to become future leaders. Holy Trinity High School in Kingston hosted the Invest in Girls Summit under the theme, Empowering Future Leaders, on May 6, 2022. The event featured presentations by GrassROOTS Director, Ms Lisa Maxwell, Teen Author, Activist and Founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks Campaign, Marley Dias and Period Workshop by Author, Activist and HerFlow’s Founder, Shelly-Ann Weeks.
The over 300 girls present received Packages with Period Products, as well as literature featuring black characters, including copies by the authors present:
• Marley Dias Gets it Done, So Can You by Marley Dias
• Parent Like it Matters by Dr Janice Johnson Dias
• It’s My Body Period by Shelly-Ann Weeks
The school, represented by Mrs Tamara Amos-Williams, Guidance Counsellor, received additional menstrual products.
“Through the partnership with HerFlow, we have been able to drastically reduce the number of girls missing school because of period poverty. We are so appreciative because we have girls who come and get their menstrual supplies each month, and HerFlow keeps us stocked since 2017.” An -elated Amos-Williams stated.
Why must we Invest in Girls?
GrassROOTS Community Foundation President, Dr Janice Johnson Dias, believes, “We must invest in girls and women because they are among our greatest natural resources. When we invest in girls and women, we are ensuring a healthy and thriving society.”
“We must invest in girls because they are the seeds that we will bloom into our future bounty. The health of our overall world can be measured by the health and joy of our girls. So, we have a choice – stay the course and end in famine or invest in girls for plenty.” Lisa Maxwell, Director – GrassROOTS Community Foundation.
HerFlow Foundation invests in empowering Jamaican women and girls as a part of our core mandate; that’s why initiatives like Invest in Girls matter. HerFlow’s Founder, Shelly-Ann Weeks, thinks, “We must invest in girls because empowered girls build strong communities.”
Invest in Girls is an annual event. St. James High in Montego Bay hosted the first edition in 2019. We look forward to empowering 1000 girls in 2023.
