For International Day of the Girl, we celebrated girls' voices, aspirations, and the essential conditions that allow them to learn, play, and thrive.
The girls at Congo Peace School wanted to play basketball, not simply watch from the sidelines or participate when space was available.
They wanted a court, a team, and the opportunity to practice, compete, and experience the joy of playing together.
So they asked.
With support from the community and the Dillon Henry Foundation, which mobilized resources to build the basketball court, their vision became a reality.
In South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where opportunities for organized sports are limited and girls' basketball teams are especially rare, a basketball court represents something much larger than a place to play.
It’s an example of what can happen when girls' interests and ambitions are taken seriously.
An Equal Place in the Classroom
At Congo Peace School (CPS), girls account for approximately half of the 755 students enrolled, from preschool through secondary school.
The school's commitment to gender equality is not based on a separate admissions track or a special opportunity reserved for girls. Students are welcomed according to need, regardless of gender or their family's ability to pay. This matters in a region where conflict and displacement have placed extraordinary pressure on children's education.
According to reporting from the DRC Education Cluster in April 2026, which UNICEF and Save the Children co-lead, school closures due to armed conflict left approximately 1.18 million students out of school.
For girls, the obstacles to education can be compounded by safety concerns, household responsibilities, limited mobility, and difficulties accessing essential supplies and services.
Against this backdrop, the opportunity to attend school, pursue academic interests, and participate equally in school life is especially important.
At CPS, girls and boys study the national curriculum, have access to a library containing more than 3,000 books, and can develop digital skills in the school's solar-powered computer lab.
The Class of 2026 achieved a 100% pass rate on its national examinations, reflecting the dedication of students and teachers alike.
“At school, I study subjects from various social and technical courses, as outlined in the national curriculum of the DRC. There are many chapters I enjoy; for example, in Social Legislation, where we learn about employment contracts; in Demography, where we study demographic sources. I also enjoy languages, such as French and English. What I find most difficult is mathematics.”
Her answer is wonderfully ordinary.
She enjoys languages, has favorite subjects, and finds mathematics challenging. She is learning what interests her and discovering the possibilities that education can open.
In a region where so many children have had their education interrupted, the opportunity to continue that exploration is deeply meaningful.
A Classroom Is Only Part of a Girl's Education
A classroom is part of a girl's education. So is a safe, functioning toilet.
In October, damaged water pipes serving the Mumosho community disrupted the running water supply to Congo Peace School.
The campus has more than 40 flush toilets, and seven potable-water storage tanks with a combined capacity of 35,000 liters. Those reserves were essential for drinking and cooking, but could not replace the running water needed for sanitation.
Older students and staff carried water to help keep school facilities functioning while kitchen staff drew from potable-water reserves to continue preparing meals.
For girls, access to clean water, private toilets, and menstrual hygiene facilities is essential to health, dignity, and full participation in school life.
Privacy, sanitation, and menstrual hygiene may not be the first things that come to mind when we think about a girl's educational aspirations. But without them, an otherwise welcoming classroom can become difficult to access.
Our community of partners understood the urgency. In less than a week, supporters helped raise $35,000 to fund emergency repairs to the community water system.
Creating Room for Possibility
Of the 755 students enrolled at Congo Peace School, 193 have been displaced by violent conflict in their hometowns.
For girls affected by displacement, the school offers something particularly valuable: the chance to continue learning in a familiar daily routine, supported by teachers, nutritious meals, friendships, and opportunities for play.
Those opportunities extend beyond academics.
The girls who asked for a basketball team remind us that creating opportunities isn't only about responding to hardship. It's also about listening to young people, respecting their ambitions, and helping them pursue what matters to them.
A basketball court. A science lesson. A computer lab. A safe toilet. Each is part of creating a school where girls have the opportunity to learn, participate, and help shape their futures.
On International Day of the Girl, we celebrated their voices and achievements, and the community working alongside them to make those opportunities possible.
Because girls deserve more than a place in the classroom. They deserve the chance to help shape the world around them.