SheLeads is a month-long blog series highlighting the voices of some of iACT's amazing female leaders from across the globe. You’ll hear from soccer coaches, education directors, and program coordinators as they discuss the impact of displacement on their lives and the power women hold as leaders in their communities.
Afrah Abdelrahman Musa
Education Director, Kouchagine-Moura
My name is Afrah Abdelrahman Musa, born on January 1, 2003 in the city of El Geneina, Sudan. I obtained a middle school certificate in 2019 in Tina, Sudan. My marital status is unmarried, and I have nine siblings, eight girls and one boy.
What is something that brings you happiness in your week?
The thing that brings happiness in my week is: to see my siblings and the children of the neighbors, as they play and rejoice and have fun in the yard.
Why did you choose to become an education director with Little Ripples?
Since childhood, I have had a hobby of becoming a children's teacher, helping society in spreading education and culture, protecting children from harm, and treating my fellow teachers with respect.
What is your favorite thing about working with other female teachers in Little Ripples?
My favorite thing is the understanding with the parameters and the mutual respect between us.
What has the conflict in Darfur meant for you as a woman?
I see that the conflict in Darfur left many catastrophes, including the displacement of children, the widowhood of women, poverty and the fertilization of minor girls among other things, and we seek to claim our rights and restore security and stability in the region.
What does it mean to you as a woman to be a leader in your community?
It means a lot to me as I feel very happy and at the same time I feel a great responsibility and I will strive to succeed in what I am entrusted with.
What qualities do you think make women good leaders?
Courage, kindness, tenderness, and self-confidence.
Why is it important for women to be leaders in their communities?
Because the mother is a teacher, and because the modern era requires that the woman not only raise the house, and that she is trained to raise children at home.
Who is a woman who inspired you in your life?
The woman who inspired me in my life is my mother.
What advice would you give to young girls in your community?
I tell my little sisters, girls, to learn and depend on themselves, to love other children and deal with them in a good way, to respect each other and respect their elders, especially their mothers at home and their teachers at school, and to participate in games with girlfriends.