This month, on February 20th, we marked the World Day of Social Justice, a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to build a society where every voice is heard, every right is respected, and every person has the opportunity to thrive. This year’s theme, “Empowering Inclusion: Bridging Gaps for Social Justice,” calls on us to take meaningful action in addressing inequalities and fostering true inclusion.

In this month’s issue, we highlight our flagship project, Building Resilience for Women and Girls in Africa (BRWGA), which aims to equip vulnerable women, girls, and teenage mothers with tools for self-reliance and the capacity to ensure the well-being of their families. The project is ongoing in eight AJAN centers across five countries. BRWGA specifically focuses on strengthening the economic resilience of beneficiaries to address the multifaceted challenges caused by poverty, displacement, HIV and AIDS, gender inequality, stigma, discrimination, and illiteracy, among others. Through skills training, education, mentorship, and seed funding, over 270 women and girls have improved their lives in various ways, including gaining sustainable income, achieving self-employment, accessing healthcare, acquiring diverse technical skills, and affording basic needs for themselves and their families, including their children’s education.

Related to this is the community empowerment project under the auspice of Jesuit Urumuri Centre (JUC) in Rwanda.  For some years now, the JUC has resourced vulnerable community around Kigali through its entrepreneurship courses, and has helped women and girls transition to gainful employment. This month is a moment of joy as we witness trainees who have successfully completed their courses take a significant step in preparing their final business proposals ahead of graduation. In this same issue, we acknowledge the staff and students from Ocer Campion Jesuit College in Uganda for their service to the sick during the World Day of the Sick. Their demonstrated love, care, and solidarity with the sick, remind us of the power of compassion and community.

This month also, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of young people who participated in the AHAPPY Youth Storytelling Contest that was launched last year across the network. We feature particularly the runners-up; young people from the Centre de Recherche d’Étude et de Créativité (CREC) in Benin who were recognized for their outstanding performance. Their play entitled “Eau! Si on savait!” (“Water! If only we knew!”), highlighted the importance of water conservation for environmental protection.

We cannot forget to remember in prayer and goodwill our brothers and sisters living through the ongoing crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thousands have been displaced and subjected to inhumane conditions by the long-protracted war, which continues to intensify in both impact and scale with each passing day. The ongoing violence threatens existence, strips people of dignified living and hope of reconstructing their lives in peace and stability. AJAN remains in solidarity with all those affected. Through our grassroots interventions, we continue to work towards the construction of a just world by ensuring that our responses are grounded in the real struggles and needs of those directly or indirectly impacted.

In conclusion we invite you to reflect on how you can contribute to building a more just society. Whether through advocacy, education, or acts of kindness, every effort matters in breaking down barriers and fostering a future rooted in dignity and justice for all. Together, we can create a world where no one is left behind.

By, Dennis Owuoche,

AJAN Communications Officer.