Sally Armstrong Inspires Crowd with Stories of Moral Courage

Sally Armstrong has seen her fair share of abuses in her career reporting on women’s issues in countries of conflict, poverty, and gender inequality. However, recently she has seen that “the earth is shifting” and that “women are claiming their spaces”. This was her message to TEMBO supporters at “An Evening with Sally Armstrong” on May 3. Sally wowed the audience with stories of the personal will of girls and women all over the world:  girls in Afghanistan in hijabs taking up extreme sports, girls in Kenya suing the government because it allowed them to be raped, and Malala, “the world’s daughter” who returned to school after being shot by the Taliban. Sally argued that the abuse of girls  is “not cultural, it is criminal” and she challenged the audience to remember that “people who do not intervene when something is amiss are giving tacit approval to what is happening”. Sally enthusiastically endorsed the work of TEMBO saying that girls want change:  “for every girl you educate and empower, ten more want the same.” Her message of hope engaged and inspired the crowd and this mood carried over to the reception catered by Thyme & Again. There, people eagerly networked and planned next steps to support TEMBO’s work in Longido.