October 11th, 2022, is the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the girl child (IDG). The United Nations General Assembly declared today as the IDG to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls all around the world face daily. 

Societies worldwide need to focus their resources on empowering girls, protecting them, and fulfilling their human rights. Girls and women have been breaking boundaries from the beginning of time, but when there is little to no resources and support, being in survival mode is not something to be celebrated. 

Girls and women deserve access to resources that allow them to flourish in whatever field they wish to explore, with no stereotypes hanging over their heads. Despite the numerous challenges faced by girls and women, they always rise to the top – these girls are no different. 

This blog will highlight girl changemakers who are thriving, excelling, and pushing boundaries doing what they love. And today, we celebrate them! 

Rabia Ghoor 

Rabia Ghoor is the founder and creative director of South African make-up and skincare brand swiitchbeauty. At just 14 years old, Ghoor was sucked into the beauty world and started her brand with just two products and an Instagram page. One year later, she made her first sale. Fast forward seven more years and swiitch now produces nineteen products and will launch two new ones soon. Ghoor was recently awarded the Forbes Woman Africa ‘Young Achievers’ award for 2021, which recognises potential leaders. 

For Ghoor, the vision was to build a desirable and accessible brand with products that did not break the bank but delivered on its promises. Swiitch’s Instagram bio says, “making things that do what they say they’re going to do with South African humans on the internet.” This is a confirmation that the brand is for the people, by the people. 

Miyanda Maseti 

17-year-old BMX sensation, Miyanda Maseti is one to watch out for. She is a 4x South African champion and a 3x National Champion. At just eleven, Miyanda was too fast to race with girls in her age group and was allowed to race with the boys provincially. She says that pushed her to train harder and become faster. 

In July 2018, she took part in her third world championship in Belgium and had an impressive performance by reaching the semis while missing a place in the final by one position. In July 2022, Maseti took part in the UCI BMX World Championship in France; this was her first big hill race in the junior women category. She made it through the quarter-finals and ended her race with a bang – she crashed, but like the champ she is, she embraced it and was grateful for the learning experience, and will now focus on sharpening her skills. 

Thakgalo Thibela

At 23 years old, Thakgalo Thibela is South Africa’s youngest woman doctor. She graduated from Wits University after matriculating at 15. After obtaining seven distinctions in her matric year, Thibela was awarded a bursary from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). She was admitted to Wits University for a six-year degree in the Bachelor of Surgery (MBBCH), and as expected, she excelled. Her excellence earned her the Golden Key International membership – a recognition for students who excel academically. 

Thibela is doing her practical learning at the Helen Joseph hospital in Auckland Park. She has worked across multiple departments, including paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology, orthopaedics, and anaesthesiology. She has not chosen a specialty yet but enjoys what she is doing at the hospital – getting clinical exposure and strengthening her theoretical knowledge. 

Terry-Ann Adams 

Terry-Ann Adams is the author of two books – Those who live in cages, an adult fiction book, and White Chalk, a collection of stories on love and grief. Adams describes herself as a former township girl trying to live her best life in the suburbs. 

Growing up as a coloured girl living with Albinism in Eldorado Park was not a walk in the park for her; she was a loner and seen as a weird child. She notes that growing up, she always knew she was genderqueer but identified as a girl for the longest time because she did not know what her feelings about gender meant.

 In her early twenties, she discovered gender fluidity and has never looked back; Adams believes gender is fluid and is dependent on how she feels. One of Adams’ passions is writing stories about coloured girls and women because she respects womanhood and the trials and tribulations it comes with. Furthermore, she feels that coloured girls and women are underrepresented in literature. She remembers the first “coloured” book she read was about a pregnant teen, and she refused for that to be the standard; she wanted to show the full spectrum of the coloured ethnicity. When asked what she would like to see come to fruition for South Africa, Adams said: “A stronger focus on children living with disabilities, especially girls. They are often victims of rape and cannot speak up because they are non-verbal. The country needs to protect disabled children.”

The United Nations urges us to get involved in the International Day of the girl child by sharing human-interest stories of girl changemakers and organisations that are resourcing girls; engaging government officials, policymakers, and stakeholders to make investments that target and tackle inequalities faced by girls; engaging key female influences across industries to show girls that females can and are leading; and amplifying our commitment to raising awareness and abolishing factors that hold girls back. 

“It’s the little things that citizens do. That’s what will make the difference.” – Wangari Maathai 

Tell us: What opportunities would you like to see created for girls in your neighbourhood?