Layla Mohamed and #18GirlChild taking 2021 head-on
“I know that each time I reach a new group of girls, I am getting closer and closer to reaching my goal.”
The past ten months have hardened attitudes and hampered dreams, but fortunately the spirit of selflessness has not been squashed.
After a 2020 of shared hardships, Layla Mohamed and her #18GirlChild initiative are ready for an all-out humanitarian assault on the affliction suffered by young females who have inadequate access to basic sanitary products. Not even 18 months old yet, each incremental step for Layla and her initiative has been a giant stride forward in the pursuit of dignity and affirmation for young females.
With the state-imposed restrictions of 2020, community organisations and NPOs were at the forefront of providing assistance to those in need. “I’m pretty sure everyone was on the same page with regard to the uncertainty that came with lockdown. The mindset that I originally had was that #18GirlChild would stagnate for the rest of the year, but I was hugely mistaken. I was blessed to be the busiest I have ever been with the organisation during that time,” recalled Layla.
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Resources became heavily strained for the average South African and this exacerbated the already neglected female necessities. “With our economy taking a huge plummet, more and more families couldn’t afford to buy the basics for their girls, so #18GirlChild was a huge saving grace for girls. #18GirlChild has donated over 900 packs of pads to over 600 girls in 2020. We were able to produce and hand out over 800 Covid relief packs,” stated Layla.
From a humble birthday wish, the project has grown exponentially and can now boast full NPO status, numerous sponsors and a national footprint that extends to the Western and Eastern Cape. Her ambitions are limitless, as she lays out her vision, saying “My goal is to exceed everything that I have reached so far: To reach more girls in provinces that we haven’t ventured into yet, such as KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, to educate girls on the issues surrounding their periods and to help our girls gain more self-confidence.”
Unfazed by challenges and always carrying herself with a dignified grace, the young role model is spreading the light to illuminate the lives of young females. Even in the midst of a health pandemic, #18GirlChild strives to bridge the gap. Driven by Layla, you know that, “Each time I reach a new group of girls, I am getting closer and closer to reaching my goal”.
