Guinea-Bissau
Stories from change-makers in Guinea-Bissau
In Guinea-Bissau, social norms often prevent children from having a say on issues that concern them.
Girls and women are the most affected, particularly when it comes to access to basic rights like education, health services and safety. Through the promotion of girls’ leadership, Plan is working with youth organizations to influence changes in policy at the national level and community practices at the local level
Plan’s leadership project is teaching girls lobbying and advocacy skills, specifically focusing on gender norms and changing attitudes around their participation in community and civic activities.
Carla is President of the Bafatá Regional Children’s Parliament. “Before being a parliamentarian, I did not listen to the radio or follow political issues. Now I am interested in politics and follow the news in the country. In the last elections, I paid a lot of attention to the speeches of the candidates."
With the experience she is gaining as President, Carla is better equipped to voice her opinions. She is now considering pursuing a career in politics, and possibly getting a degree in law or financial management. Carla is using the knowledge she has gained to raise awareness, encouraging her peers and classmates to get involved with the children’s parliament and community advocacy activities.
“The most rewarding success for me was taking part in the debate on the rights of the child at the National People’s Assembly. It made me realize that if there is an opportunity that I can participate in, then I can reach a wider audience. I feel grateful that I am supported by Plan International because many children in my community have benefited from education programs, school supplies and vaccines.”
Meet more young people advocating for change
Plan’s leadership project is teaching girls lobbying and advocacy skills, specifically focusing on gender norms and changing attitudes around their participation in community and civic activities.
Carla is President of the Bafatá Regional Children’s Parliament. “Before being a parliamentarian, I did not listen to the radio or follow political issues. Now I am interested in politics and follow the news in the country. In the last elections, I paid a lot of attention to the speeches of the candidates."
With the experience she is gaining as President, Carla is better equipped to voice her opinions. She is now considering pursuing a career in politics, and possibly getting a degree in law or financial management. Carla is using the knowledge she has gained to raise awareness, encouraging her peers and classmates to get involved with the children’s parliament and community advocacy activities.
“The most rewarding success for me was taking part in the debate on the rights of the child at the National People’s Assembly. It made me realize that if there is an opportunity that I can participate in, then I can reach a wider audience. I feel grateful that I am supported by Plan International because many children in my community have benefited from education programs, school supplies and vaccines.”
Binta was one of Plan’s first sponsored children in Guinea-Bissau.
She remembers receiving letters and gifts from her sponsor and says they were an incentive for her to continue her studies. Her sponsor helped her build self-confidence and encouraged her to stay in school. She doesn’t think she would have completed her education if it weren’t for her sponsor’s support.
Through her participation in Plan’s gender equality programs, Binta learned that being a girl is not a barrier to being successful and that girls can achieve just as much as boys. Now Binta works for Plan Guinea-Bissau and is a role model for younger girls in her community.
Binta feels she is now giving something back by helping other girls realize their rights: “I want to make a valuable contribution and change people’s way of thinking in relation to girls, for the development of our society.”
Sponsor a child
Through her participation in Plan’s gender equality programs, Binta learned that being a girl is not a barrier to being successful and that girls can achieve just as much as boys. Now Binta works for Plan Guinea-Bissau and is a role model for younger girls in her community.
Binta feels she is now giving something back by helping other girls realize their rights: “I want to make a valuable contribution and change people’s way of thinking in relation to girls, for the development of our society.”
Dreaming of being the President might not be on every teenager’s agenda, but in Guinea-Bissau, students are getting the chance to imagine what it might be like, taking part in mock parliament sessions to learn how to become leaders and change makers.
Students come together to discuss children’s rights, how they can better protect their rights to education, to health and to safety. Learning about girls’ rights in particularly gives girls and boys alike a chance to understand the clear steps necessary to achieve gender equality.
Plan’s child participation projects encourage dialogue between children and young people about their rights. The projects aim to boost the confidence of young people to be active decision makers in their own lives through the staging of mock parliaments and other activities.
The group meets with the parents’ association and discusses the changes that children and young people want to see.
“Learning about harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation, are important to us,” says Djesasha, president of the mock-parliament. “So many girls we know have experienced this. We are trying to do our best to talk with adults, to change the ideas they have around girls and girls’ rights. We need to change the culture”.
Protect Girls Today
Plan’s child participation projects encourage dialogue between children and young people about their rights. The projects aim to boost the confidence of young people to be active decision makers in their own lives through the staging of mock parliaments and other activities.
The group meets with the parents’ association and discusses the changes that children and young people want to see.
“Learning about harmful practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation, are important to us,” says Djesasha, president of the mock-parliament. “So many girls we know have experienced this. We are trying to do our best to talk with adults, to change the ideas they have around girls and girls’ rights. We need to change the culture”.
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Guinea-Bissau since 1995.
Our work in Guinea-Bissau
Office & operations
Plan Guinea-Bissau’s project offices are located in Bissau, Bafata and Gabu.
Technical areas
Plan Guinea-Bissau focuses on the following program areas: health, education, economic empowerment and protection.
Number of sponsored children
As of June 30, 2022, 16,984 people like you sponsor children in Guinea-Bissau through Plan International.
Gender equality is a fight we must all take on together. Through sponsorship, you can change lives and create long-term impact in communities.
The full circle of Fate
When you sponsor a child through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send them birthday gifts and cards.
Give them special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe them to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
Arrange a visit (pending any travel restrictions), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and with the exception of Little Treasures they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor