Finding Strength Through Girls Shine
In the quiet, small town of Megab, a 16-year-old girl named Fyori found herself facing challenges she never imagined. Forced to flee her home in Humera due to conflict, Fyori arrived in this new place feeling like a shadow- unseen, unheard, and completely alone.
"The loneliness felt like a heavy fog, smothering me," Fyori recalls. Once a place of joy and discovery, school had become overwhelming. The pain and stress of leaving behind her family, friends, and everything familiar weighed her down. Struggling to cope with the upheaval, she spiralled into isolation. "Weeks passed, and I withdrew more and more, shutting out anyone who tried to reach me," she explains.
But one day, Fyori heard about a programme called Girl Shine, a safe space designed to empower young girls and help them navigate life's difficulties. "I didn’t know what to expect, but I felt a flicker of hope and decided to attend," she says, remembering that life-changing moment.
The first session was overwhelming. “Walking into a room full of unfamiliar faces made my heart pound,” she admits. However, as the other girls shared their stories of hardship and courage, Fyori began to realise she wasn’t alone. "Their stories were so much like mine," she says, and in those shared experiences, she found the first glimmers of comfort, like
Slowly but surely, Fyori began to heal. The sessions taught her how to manage her stress and anxiety and, more importantly, gave her the tools to express her feelings rather than bottling them up. "I learned that it was okay to talk about what I was going through," she reflects. Week by week, the heavy weight on her heart lifted. She began to smile more, laugh, and open up to new friendships.
As her confidence grew, Fyori felt ready to return to school, but this time, with renewed determination. "I went back with a sense of purpose," she says, filled with the support and strength she had gained from Girls Shine. The friendships she forged in the programme carried over into her school life, transforming what had once been a place of loneliness into a community of belonging.
Over the months, Fyori blossomed into a leader. She started study groups, led community initiatives, and became a voice for her peers who, like her, had once felt invisible. "I wanted to give back, to help others in the same way Girls Shine helped me," she says with conviction.
Today, Fyori stands as a beacon of resilience and hope. She not only supports her family at home and in their shop but also inspires those around her with her strength. Fyori’s journey is a testament to the power of community, healing, and self-discovery.
From the darkness of her past, Fyori has found her light, and now she’s full of friendship, laughter, and a powerful bond with others and leading others toward their own.
Girl Shine is part of the Women and Girls Safe Space initiative, funded by UNFPA and implemented by World Vision. Within a year, the programme has strengthened self-esteem and social skills, with 560 girls aged 10–19 graduating after completing 16 life skills sessions. Additionally, 560 caregivers participated in support sessions to further empower these young women.
By Tigist Taye, Communication Coordinator (CPP), World Vision Ethiopia