Educated girls can change the world

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, an action was carried out in Bosilegrad on the initiative of girls who participated in mentoring sessions on the topic of communication and advocacy, within the "Pippi of today" project. A social cafe was organized in the "Hristo Botev" municipal library with girls accommodated in the reception centre in Bosilegrad and their peers - high school students from Bosilegrad.

 A total of 6 girls from Burundi and 5 girls from Bosilegrad participated in the event. The topic of the meetings was the education of girls, access and the right of "girls on the move" to the regular education system in Serbia. The girls from the reception centre wanted to hear about their peers’ experiences in the education system and to learn first-hand experiences and opportunities for women and girls in terms of education and professional development. They were also interested in what challenges girls face, but also whether youth in Serbia have prejudices against refugees and migrants.

 The girls from Serbia were interested in the education system for girls in Burundi, as well as the culture and traditions of this country. Despite sharing life in such a small place, the girls did not have much information about life in the reception centre and the challenges migrant women face. The girls came to the common conclusion that such exchanges are useful and that they would like to have more opportunities to exchange experiences in order to break prejudices and beliefs that arise as a consequence of insufficient information.

The action was also attended by representatives of the National Library, wonderful colleagues Dijana Miladinovic and Biserka Radenkov, representatives of the high school in Bosilegrad, as well as a facilitator from NGO Atina. After the action, an informal lunch was organized where the girls had the opportunity to get to know each other even better. After this event, the girls on the move said that they were looking forward to starting school in September because they will see familiar faces of their peers.

Numerous activities are carried out within the “Pippi of today” project aimed at comprehensive support to girls on the move, exercising their rights, as well as advocacy activities that are aimed to increase their visibility and integration into local communities. The project is supported by Save the Children Sweden and relies on the ideas proclaimed by the most famous literary heroine of the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking.

A photo gallery from this event can be found via the following link:: http://www.atina.org.rs/sr/edukovane-devoj%C4%8Dice-mogu-promeniti-svet-0