REFLECTIONS FROM THE GIRL-CENTERED ADVANCED CERTIFICATION TRAINING.

On 25th AUGUST-27th AUGUST 2026, we had the opportunity to take part in the Girl-Centered Advanced Certification (GFI) Training that was hosted by Girl Rising at Fairway Hotel Kampala. It was a meaningful experience filled with learning, reflection, sharing, connection and honest conversations about what it means to put girls at the centre of the work we do.

The training gave us an opportunity to step back and reflect on our experiences working with girls in our communities. It reminded us that while we have made progress, there is still more we can do to ensure that girls are respected, educated, listened to and given opportunities to shape their own futures.

One of the highlights of the training was taking time to reflect on our journey with She’s the First and the work we have been doing in our communities especially with girls. Sometimes, when we are busy doing the work, we do not always get the opportunity to stop and appreciate how far we have come. The reflection sessions allowed us to recognise the different ways we have contributed to creating opportunities and safe spaces for girls.

We also reflected on the challenges we face and how we can continue improving our approaches. The discussions reminded us that supporting girls is not about having all the answers. It is about being willing to listen, learn and adapt based on what girls actually need.

Another highlight of the training was revisiting the “What Would You Do?” game, a tool that we use when engaging the girls we serve. The game uses different situations to encourage girls to think, share their opinions and consider the choices they can make. It creates an opportunity for open conversations while making learning interactive and enjoyable. During the training, we reflected on how we currently use the game and explored ways of making it even more engaging and useful. This reminded us that learning does not always have to happen through formal lessons. Sometimes, a simple question can open the door to a very important conversation. The question “What would you do?” gives girls an opportunity to think for themselves, listen to different views and confidently express their own opinions.

We had a panel of young girls who shared their stories, experiences, theories of change and journeys through mentorship with Girl Rising. Listening to them was a strong reminder of why girls must be involved in conversations and decisions that affect them. Most times, adults make decisions for young people without first listening to what they have to say and this session challenged us to think differently. Our role as practitioners is not simply to speak for girls. It is also to create spaces where they can speak for themselves, share their experiences and contribute to the solutions that affect their lives. When girls are given the opportunity to speak and are genuinely listened to, we learn things that we may never understand from a distance.

We also had an engaging session on Stories That Empower and Transform: Social Emotional Learning and SRHR. This session introduced us to the use of film as a tool for advocacy and showed us how stories can be used to create conversations around issues affecting young people. Stories have the power to make people feel, think and question what they already know. A well told story can help someone understand an experience that may be completely different from their own. For advocacy, this is particularly important. Instead of only presenting people with facts and statistics, we can use stories to make issues relatable and human. Through film and storytelling, we can amplify lived experiences, challenge harmful beliefs, encourage conversations and inspire people to take action. The session reminded us that advocacy is not only about what we say, it is also about how we communicate our messages and whether people can connect with them.

The training gave us an opportunity to learn from other partners and practitioners as we shared experiences, listened to different perspectives and reflected on some of the ways we approach our work. One of the biggest lessons was that being girl-centered requires continuous learning. It means being willing to ask ourselves whether the approaches we use are truly working for girls. It also means being open to unlearning practices that may not serve girls well and finding better ways of engaging them.

We also received a certificate of completion for the GFI Advanced Program. The certificate represents more than completing a training, it represents new knowledge, new tools, new connections and a renewed commitment to the work.

We are grateful to the facilitators for sharing their knowledge, expertise and experiences throughout the three days. Their guidance gave us an opportunity to reflect deeply on our work and think about how we can strengthen our impact. We are also grateful to Girl Rising and She’s the First for creating a space where partners and practitioners could come together to learn and grow. We left the training with new ideas and a renewed commitment to ensuring that girls are at the centre of the solutions designed for them. The Girl-Centered Advanced Certification Training reminded us that when we listen to girls, create safe spaces for them and work alongside them, we can build stronger and more meaningful solutions. We commit to working towards a world where every girl is respected, educated and heard and where every girl has the freedom and opportunity to shape her own future. 

Compiled By; Pillar Mbabazi.