Megan Gieske is a storyteller and photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa.
Disclaimer: This story contains accounts of gender-based violence. Each of the girls mentioned has agreed to share their stories in the hopes of inspiring others.
In Cape Town, South Africa, young girls are reclaiming their voices and their power. Their motto is “wathint’abafazi wathint’imbokodo,” which is isiXhosa for “you strike a woman, you strike a rock.” At The Justice Desk’s Mbokodo Club, young survivors of gender-based violence between the...
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Having safe and effective vaccines to fight COVID-19 within a year of the first reported cases is a historic scientific achievement. But as our animated series “Pandemica” has illustrated, unless the world prioritizes fair and equal vaccine distribution, we’re at risk of prolonging the pandemic. What happens in the next six weeks will determine the trajectory of this pandemic for the next six months. This is a critical point in the pandemic, as world leaders can either turn the...
ONE Youth Ambassador Isa van Malenstein from the Netherlands is sharing why the world must come together to fight vaccine nationalism.
“Only together do we get COVID-19 under control.” That phrase, which we hear at every press conference, which pops up every few kilometers on signs above freeways, and is played regularly on the radio, has become too much for us. Yet, it hits the nail on the head: if a small group does not abide by the rules,...
Think back to when you were 10. Imagine if you had not been able to read and understand a simple story at that age. Where do you think you would be today?
Age 10 is the age at which children should be switching from learning to read to reading to learn. This critical milestone sets children up for a lifetime of learning. It increases their ability to earn, innovate, improve their own opportunities, and contribute to their societies, including becoming...
All over the world, lives have been put on hold due to COVID-19, and students have not been spared. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, school closures have interrupted children’s learning since March 2020, when for the first time studies were suspended by order of the President of the Republic. At the beginning of the lockdown, teachers did not know how long it would last. So that studies could continue, pupils were given homework, but the system didn’t work...
Mai Mahiu is a bustling trading centre that never sleeps. It is a long-distance truck stop that sits in the shadow of a massive escarpment at the bottom of the Rift Valley, about an hour west of Nairobi, the Kenyan Capital. Here, tucked between single-story shops selling household consumables, agricultural supplies, and truck spare parts, along a dusty street parallel to the Nairobi – Kampala highway, you’ll find Ubuntu Life Education Centre.
This is where Teresia Njeri Ngugi, mother of...
Ten-year-old Esther Okore, a primary six student of the Denon Free Tuition Education Foundation at Agbelekale, on the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria, is a brilliant child who dreams of becoming a medical doctor. However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, her father lost his job, thus threatening not only whether or not Esther could stay in school, but also her four other siblings.
Esther dreams of becoming a doctor as a means of giving back to society, but today that is a...
Vaccines are undoubtedly one of the most important health tools at our disposal. But many people still have questions about what exactly they are and how they work.
Having safe and effective vaccines to fight COVID-19 within a full year of the first reported cases is a major scientific achievement. Now, understanding the basics of how vaccines work is more important than ever so everyone is well-informed about this crucial life-saving tool.
That’s why we want to make sure everyone has...
After surviving 17 years of domestic abuse, Lilian Ocholla separated from her husband a year ago. She has overcome many challenges and, with the help and support of her family, is focused on improving her well-being and building a better future for herself and her children.
Today, the 39-year-old mother and farmer who is part of Hatching Hope in Kenya is challenging gender-based violence by setting up what is fast becoming a successful poultry business. “My mom used to organize...
Read more recent COVID-19 vaccine content with our Vaccine Access Test and our new series Pandemica.
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unfortunate reminder that diseases don’t respect borders. The virus has swept the globe, infecting nearly 140 million people worldwide, and drastically impacting lives and livelihoods, with disproportionate impacts on people living in poverty and women and girls. In late 2020, the race to secure global vaccine access began, with hopes of finally ending the pandemic for everyone, everywhere.
At ONE,...