Meet Riya: An Ambassador for Girl-Child Education

Akili Dada
Aug 23, 2017 · 3 min read

Learn about Riya’s fervency to improve the state of education in South Sudan

Riya William Yuyada / Akili Dada 2017

My name is Riya William Yuyada and I come from Mundri in South Sudan. My project is a mentorship program which I prefer to call ‘’I Am My Sister’s Keeper’. This is because we take the place of big sisters to our mentees from different schools in the country. This project aims to encourage the girls to remain focused in school even amidst many challenges like poverty and lack of sanitary towels.

Mentorship and Exposure

We also screen short inspirational films for the girls. These films show them the realities out there so as to inspire them to stay in school. We are planning to distribute menstrual hygiene kits which will include sanitary towels and other essentials that will help the girls stay in school and perform better.

The State of Education in South Sudan

What makes it alarming is only 1% of girls are able to finish primary school.So for us to get close to gender equality and involve more women in decision-making processes of the war-torn country, we realised the need to push for the education of girls so as to improve on the quality of women that will be changing our country through mentorship programs. To achieve this, we need to keep more girls in my country in school and close the education gap.

Girl-child education in South Sudan is amongst the worst in the world…Only 16% women are educated.

Fear of the Unknown

She told me about how the fellowship program would help me and my initiative grow. I looked up the fellowship program up, and I knew that this was the right time for me to acquire more knowledge, confidence, and scale up on my network. Indeed it is.

On a Lighter Note


Fellows For Social Change is a primer series of African Women Leaders in the 2017 Akili Dada Fellowship. Visit Akili Dada’s blog for more eloquent reflective stories from young African Women leaders.

Fellows For Social Change

Accounts of illustrious young African Women Leaders transforming African Communities

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Akili Dada

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A leadership incubator empowering the next generation of African women leaders.

Fellows For Social Change

Accounts of illustrious young African Women Leaders transforming African Communities

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