Armel Sylva is a youth education activist who advocates of the rights of girls and women. She is a STEM Educator at IMARA Comoros and is now studying in Cameroon to complete a Masters in Interpretations.
In this episode, Armel discusses her education, including completing a BA in English in her country, where the official languages are French, Comorian, and Arabic… challenging cultural gender norms and playing football as a girl… the importance of listening to her inner voice when others were telling her that she should not be playing football… believing in herself and encouraging other girls and young women to overcome gender norms and expectations… volunteering at IMARA Comoros, a youth-led NGO that educates girls and youth, and having opportunities to attend international meetings and conferences… being a change-maker for gender equality in her community and internationally… opening doors for other young people… knowing that there are people who supported her in silence and who were unseen mentors… encouraging us all to dream, to believe in ourselves, to believe in our work, and to be willing to make sacrifices to achieve our dreams… reminding young people that the world belongs to them and that they are its drivers. (Comoros)
