Empowering girls through education

Standard Chartered recently hosted the Beyond Girls Education Summit in Johannesburg on Mandela Day, bringing together leaders to discuss ways to enhance economic quality and empowerment for girls. The summit aimed to increase cross-sector understanding of best practices in empowering adolescent girls. The conversation included a powerful female panel consisting of Potlako Lebese from Mamelodi High School in Pretoria, Sheetal Sheety, a high school student from India, Amandla Dlamini, Former Banyana Banyana Captain and Brand Influencer for Standard Chartered, and Payal Dalal, Head of Global Community Programmes at Standard Chartered. The discussion highlighted the importance of investing in girls' economic empowerment as a crucial step towards achieving women's economic empowerment. Standard Chartered emphasized the need to provide opportunities for girls to explore income-generating pathways, viewing girls as untapped natural resources. The summit showcased success stories of girls whose lives were positively impacted by initiatives like the Goal program which focuses on life skills, education, and vocational training. Sheetal Sheety shared her transformation from a shy student to a confident leader through her participation in the program. Similarly, Potlako Lebese from Pretoria expressed her commitment to inspiring other girls to join these transformative programs, emphasizing the significance of education and empowerment. Amandla Dlamini, with her background in football, emphasized the role of sports in building confidence and empowering girls. She highlighted how sports provided her a safe space to overcome challenges and achieve success. Dlamini also discussed the importance of addressing social issues like drug abuse and teenage pregnancy through empowering young women. The panelists discussed the challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries and the need for women to work twice as hard to succeed. They stressed the importance of providing platforms for young girls to access opportunities and bridge the gender gap in economic empowerment. The conversation concluded with a focus on paying it forward and ensuring that the knowledge and spirit cultivated through such initiatives are passed on to future generations. Partnership and active commitment were identified as key factors in driving sustainable change. As a tribute to Nelson Mandela, the participants pledged to continue supporting and empowering adolescent girls, turning discussions into impactful actions for a brighter future. The remarkable insights and experiences shared by the panelists exemplified the importance of investing in girls' education and empowerment to create lasting social and economic benefits.