GIRLS LIKE US...

When reader Lucy found out about the plight of the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls from DREAMCATCHER, she was determined to do something…

Lucy says:
Before I read Cathy's article on DREAMCATCHER, I knew very little about the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. I knew they'd been captured - I'd seen it briefly on the BBC news page which is the home page on our family laptop, but it didn't really register. I had no idea of the sheer scale or the story behind it. Once I read about it on DREAMCATCHER, though, I felt so shocked and upset… I knew I needed to join the campaign to help them.

To recap… 276 schoolgirls are still missing, abducted from their school by a terrorist group who oppose girls being educated. They are ordinary girls… they fancy boys, fall out with their friends, have embarrassing parents… they are just like us. Here in the UK, we grumble and moan about going to school… but on the other side of the world, girls have been kidnapped just for trying to make something of their lives. There has been no quick solution to the problem; Searches were not organised for some time, and I was shocked to hear that the groups 'searching' for the girls were having internal disputes. What can we do? Every one of us can help by posting a selfie holding a sign saying #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS. Post it on Facebook, on Twitter, tell your teachers and classmates… raise awareness. You can also choose a name from the list of missing girls and write that girl a letter of support… the love and support may reach the girls, even if the letter doesn't.

At my birthday party sleepover I asked my friends if they would help me take a selfie to support the missing girls. Most of them didn't know much about the Nigerian girls, but once I explained they went very quiet, which is VERY unusual for them. I guess all of us were trying to imagine what it would be like to be in that situation, what it would be like if it had happened to us… because it could have done. My friends fully support the #BRINGBACKOURGIRLS campaign and we took the selfie and sent it to Cathy - I then met Cathy when she visited my school on her June tour, and mentioned the Nigerian schoolgirls in her talk. Posting a selfie or writing a letter may not seem like much, but if ALL of us do it… and tell our friends and teachers and families to join in too… just think of the message of support and strength we can send out to those girls. I hope they are found… and soon.

Write a letter to… Blessing; Yayi; Monica; Lydia; Naomi; Safiya; Esther; Rejoice; Ruth; Grace; Saratu; Hauwa; Rhoda; Awa; Ladi; Mary; Rebecca; Comfort; Kabu; Hana; Glory; Debora; Juliana; Fatima; Helen or Palmata. To see the full list, scroll back to the previous BRING BACK OUR GIRLS post on DREAMCATCHER.

Cathy says:
Lucy's picture stood out for me as she had taken the time to make a selfie at her birthday sleepover… the story clearly hit home for her. As she says, if we each take a little time to do something in support of the missing girls, it will help raise awareness and perhaps make a difference. COMMENT BELOW if you'd like to write a letter or post a selfie… and please, please see if your friends will join the campaign too.