Lilly Singh took her internet persona "IISuperWomanII" very seriously on her 28th birthday. Having popularized the hashtag #GirlLove on social media late last year, the YouTube personality originally developed the mantra to encourage young women to stop girl on girl hate. Now repurposing the tagline in a collaboration with ME to WE, Singh has launched the #GirlLove Rafiki Bracelet to celebrate her birthday and help provide girls in Kenya with a primary school education. If that's not Super Woman material, we don't know what is.
While the hashtag first promoted a culture in which women could be proud of other women and build each other up rather than tear them down, #GirlLove now has tangible results. Swahili for “friend”, rafiki continues to promote that message and encourage #GirlLove across cultural boundaries, classes, races, and boarders.
“When I saw the #GirlLove Rafiki Bracelet for the first time I thought it was exactly what I wanted it to be. The bracelet represents not only my passion for #GirlLove, but me acting on that passion” stated Singh. “In Kenya, not all girls are able to go to school and while on my ME to WE Trip, I was honoured to meet three girls currently studying at Kisaruni All Girls Secondary School. As they walked me through the Kisaruni Campus, I could see how going to school has given them more than an education, but confidence and ambition. All girls should have that opportunity and that’s why proceeds from my bracelet go towards giving Kenyan girls the chance to go to primary school.”
And not only do the bracelets support Singh’s worthy cause, their gold charm and blue and silver beads are beautiful. Designed by the YouTuber on her trip to Kenya’s Maasai Mara region, Singh picked up a few beading and design tips from the women in the community and at the ME to WE’s Women’s Empowerment Centre, where she joined in on a traditional beading circle. Seeing the direct effects women’s education can have on a community only strengthened Singh’s confidence in the power of #GirlLove.
Pick up your own #GirlLove Rafiki Bracelet here.
By Lindsay Cooper
While the hashtag first promoted a culture in which women could be proud of other women and build each other up rather than tear them down, #GirlLove now has tangible results. Swahili for “friend”, rafiki continues to promote that message and encourage #GirlLove across cultural boundaries, classes, races, and boarders.
“When I saw the #GirlLove Rafiki Bracelet for the first time I thought it was exactly what I wanted it to be. The bracelet represents not only my passion for #GirlLove, but me acting on that passion” stated Singh. “In Kenya, not all girls are able to go to school and while on my ME to WE Trip, I was honoured to meet three girls currently studying at Kisaruni All Girls Secondary School. As they walked me through the Kisaruni Campus, I could see how going to school has given them more than an education, but confidence and ambition. All girls should have that opportunity and that’s why proceeds from my bracelet go towards giving Kenyan girls the chance to go to primary school.”
And not only do the bracelets support Singh’s worthy cause, their gold charm and blue and silver beads are beautiful. Designed by the YouTuber on her trip to Kenya’s Maasai Mara region, Singh picked up a few beading and design tips from the women in the community and at the ME to WE’s Women’s Empowerment Centre, where she joined in on a traditional beading circle. Seeing the direct effects women’s education can have on a community only strengthened Singh’s confidence in the power of #GirlLove.
Pick up your own #GirlLove Rafiki Bracelet here.
By Lindsay Cooper
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