Rwanda

“I couldn’t express my feelings and needs, and didn’t have the courage to ask people I knew about all the things I wondered about,” she says.

And Illuminée wasn’t alone. Many other girls in her community couldn’t access information about sexual and reproductive health either. Without understanding how their bodies work and the consequences of unprotected sex, many of the girls became pregnant.

But things began to change when Plan started a youth club in Illuminée’s community, creating a safe space where children were given a safe space to talk about their experiences, and to learn and grow with each other. Children and young people learned about their rights, and how to protect themselves.

And because of the club, Illuminée found her voice.

“I didn’t know about children’s rights before,” she says. “I thought it was natural that some parents took care of their children and some didn’t. I have now learned that all children are equally important, and that I am important. I have no fears any longer when it comes to asking questions or expressing myself.”

“Some parents can afford to buy menstrual pads for their daughters but refuse to do so,” Florence says. “Girls often have to go to school with no pads during their periods and feel very ashamed. Some girls even quit school because of this.”

But after joining a children’s rights program with Plan, Florence and other girls like her learned about their health, and how to manage their periods.

“I didn’t know anything about my body and how it develops before I joined the youth club at my school,” she says. “I have learned a lot now, about periods and health issues, and how to look after myself.”

And Florence passes on everything she has learned from Plan on to other girls. Her dream is that, one day, every child will have access to information about their health, and their rights.