From Silence to Confidence: How Sadia’s Life Changed Through Literacy

In a small rural village in Northern Ghana, a young girl named Sadia is proving what’s possible when a girl is given the chance to learn.

Sadia is 16 years old and lives in Tahakpomo, a remote community in the Zabzugu District where daily life comes with many challenges. Like many girls in rural Ghana, her days are often a delicate balance between school and family responsibilities, helping with household chores, caring for younger siblings, and doing what she can to support her family.

Access to basic resources like clean water, healthcare, and school supplies has never been easy for Sadia or her family. But what she lacked in opportunity, she made up for in resilience.

Finding Her Voice Through Literacy

In 2017, Sadia enrolled in Create Change’s after-school literacy program, and at the time, she couldn’t read or write at all.

“I remember feeling nervous,” she said. “I didn’t know how to read, and I didn’t think I could learn.”

But the program offered something she hadn’t experienced before, a classroom where learning was fun, supportive, and interactive. Her literacy mentor worked closely with her, giving her the individual attention and encouragement she needed to catch up and thrive.

Slowly, letter by letter, word by word, Sadia’s world began to open.

“The literacy program changed everything for me,” Sadia shared. “It showed me that my voice matters, and that I have the power to create change.”

Thriving in School, And Beyond

Today, Sadia is in Grade 8 (Junior High School 2) at Zieng D/A Junior High School. She’s not just keeping up, she’s thriving.

Her confidence has blossomed both inside and outside the classroom. She now participates actively in class discussions, has built strong friendships, and has even taken on leadership roles, serving as her class monitor and participating in extracurricular activities.

Her favorite subjects? Reading and writing, of course.

One moment she’ll never forget was giving a presentation in her literacy class about her favorite book. She was nervous, but when she finished, she felt something she’d never felt before: pride in her voice, in her ability, and in herself.

Looking Ahead: A Future Full of Possibility

Sadia dreams of continuing her education, possibly becoming a teacher or working in healthcare, so she can give back to her community. More than anything, she wants to be a role model for younger girls in her village, showing them that education can change their lives too.

“The literacy program helped me in ways I never thought possible,” she said. “It gave me the confidence to express myself and pursue my dreams.”

Sadia’s story is just one of hundreds made possible through Create Change’s after-school literacy program, a program built on the belief that when you teach a girl to read, you give her the tools to shape her future.

And as Sadia would tell you, that future looks bright.

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