Anita Reilly
Anita Reilly, originally from Co Mayo, currently works for Plan as Grants Officer in Guinea Bissau. Her background is in education and she has worked as a teacher and teacher trainer. She has worked in Mexico, India and Ethiopia and is soon to start a new position as Education advisor for Plan UK.
Because I am a Girl I ask…for all girls, whether in Guinea Bissau or Ireland, to be given the opportunity to be the best that they can be.
Because I am a Girl I believe…in people…and their potential to make this world a more equal one.
Because I am a Girl I hope…that the next generation of women will be looking back at the injustices of this generation and seeing them as a thing of the past.
Because I am a Girl I wonder…what type of person I would be now had I been brought up in a developing country like Guinea Bissau.
Because I am a Girl I dream…that young girls in Guinea Bissau and other developing countries will be able to realise their right to education and use it to improve their lives and reach their potential.
Because I am a Girl I remember…what it’s like to not be taken seriously and fighting to get your voice heard when working in an male-dominated environment.
Because I am a Girl I like…to listen and learn from women older and wiser than me.
Because I am a Girl I dislike…the fact that millions of girls in Guinea Bissau and other developing countries will never go to school or drop out early.
Because I am a Girl I feel…blessed to count among my friends some amazingly strong women who have been a true inspiration.
Because I am a Girl I celebrate…all the little things.
- Anita Reilly
