Country of Residence
Nigeria
Age
19
Project title
Girls Unplugged: A Sisterhood for Girls to Connect, Bloom and Glow
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
Girls Unplugged is a pan-African digital sisterhood empowering girls through meaningful conversations, guest-speaker sessions, wellbeing support, personal development and shared opportunities to help them grow in confidence, build connections and thrive.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
-https://tunrayo-dev.github.io/girls-unplugged/index.html -https://tunrayo-dev.github.io/linda-dev/ -https://www.instagram.com/tunraayo_idowu -https://www.instagram.com/grls_unplugged -https://ng.linkedin.com/in/motunrayo-idowu-373330258
Project Category
My project is an existing project that I started
Project Stage
Growth (We’ve moved past the very first activities and are beginning to have consistent weekly or monthly impact)
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
I founded Girls Unplugged on 29 September 2025 because I wanted girls to have a space where they could connect beyond social media interactions and experience genuine sisterhood. Growing up as a girl comes with questions, pressures, insecurities and dreams that are not always easy to share openly. Many girls need spaces where they can express themselves without fear of judgment, learn from others and discover opportunities to grow. I wanted to create a community that goes beyond simply bringing girls together in a group chat. I envisioned a space where girls could have honest conversations, learn from inspiring women, support one another and feel seen and valued. That idea became Girls Unplugged, a digital sisterhood created by girls, for girls. Through our Bloom & Glow Circle, we are building a community where girls can connect, learn, support one another and grow together. What started as an idea has grown into a community of more than 185 girls across over 10 African countries. I am motivated by the belief that when girls have supportive communities and access to knowledge and opportunities, they are better equipped to shape their futures and contribute meaningfully to society.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Girls need more than access to information; they need supportive communities where they can ask questions, discuss challenges, develop confidence and discover opportunities. Many girls experience self-doubt, social pressure, isolation and uncertainty about their futures. Others lack access to relatable role models, personal development resources and spaces for honest conversations about their wellbeing and ambitions. These challenges matter because a girl's confidence, support system and access to opportunities can influence how she sees herself and what she believes she can achieve. Digital platforms make connection easier, but online spaces do not always provide meaningful engagement, emotional safety or lasting relationships. This matters to me because I believe girls deserve to be heard, supported and encouraged to pursue their ambitions. I created Girls Unplugged to help address this gap by building an accessible, girl-centred community where girls can learn from one another, have meaningful conversations and access opportunities for personal growth. By connecting girls across different African countries, we also create opportunities for them to learn from experiences beyond their immediate environments.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Girls Unplugged is a digital sisterhood that connects girls across African countries through our Bloom & Glow Circle. We use an online community to make connection, learning and participation accessible regardless of geographical location. Our activities include guest-speaker sessions where women and other inspiring individuals share knowledge and experiences; wellbeing conversations that encourage girls to reflect, express themselves and support one another; personal development activities that promote confidence and growth; and sharing opportunities that help members discover ways to learn, participate and develop their interests. We also encourage girls to contribute to conversations, share experiences and build relationships with other members. Rather than treating girls as passive recipients of information, we want them to participate actively in shaping a supportive community. Our website and social media platform help us introduce the initiative to new girls, communicate our work and extend our reach beyond the existing community. Girls Unplugged combines peer connection, learning, wellbeing and opportunity-sharing in one community. Our goal is to create a space where girls do not simply join, but feel involved, supported and encouraged to grow. As the community develops, we aim to strengthen our activities, expand access to useful resources and create more opportunities for members to lead and contribute.
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Since its founding on 29 September 2025, Girls Unplugged has grown to a community of more than 185 girls across over 10 African countries, including Nigeria, Eswatini, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Liberia, The Gambia and Mozambique. This growth demonstrates the interest in creating spaces where girls can connect across borders and share experiences. Through guest-speaker sessions, wellbeing conversations, personal development activities and opportunity-sharing, we are building a community that encourages girls to learn, engage and support one another. Beyond the numbers, the impact we want to create is a stronger sense of belonging, greater confidence, access to knowledge and opportunities, and meaningful connections among girls who might otherwise never meet. Girls Unplugged is still growing, and I recognise that membership numbers alone do not measure the depth of our impact. Our next step is to strengthen participation, document our activities and gather feedback from members so we can better understand their experiences and improve the community as it grows.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
Girls Unplugged brings together sisterhood, wellbeing, personal development and opportunity-sharing in a digital community designed specifically for girls. Instead of focusing on a single issue or offering occasional programmes, we aim to create an ongoing space where girls can return, participate, build relationships and learn over time. Our pan-African approach allows girls from different countries and backgrounds to connect, exchange perspectives and learn from one another. This creates opportunities for cross-cultural understanding and relationships that extend beyond geographical boundaries. Another distinctive element is our emphasis on meaningful connection. The community is not intended to be just another social media group where information is posted and forgotten. Guest-speaker sessions, honest wellbeing conversations, shared learning and opportunities for members to engage help make participation more purposeful. Girls Unplugged is also designed to grow with its members. Girls are not simply the audience for our work; they are the reason for it and an important part of the community's development. By combining digital accessibility with peer connection and ongoing engagement, we aim to make support and personal growth more accessible to girls who may not have these opportunities in their immediate environments.
How many people are on your team?
5
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
I founded Girls Unplugged and lead its vision, community development, digital presence and activities. I coordinate the community and help create opportunities for girls to connect, learn and grow. Other team members, where involved, contribute to community engagement, activity planning, communications and member support. We aim to build a collaborative environment where responsibilities are shared and members can contribute ideas to strengthen the community.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, I want to strengthen Girls Unplugged from a growing digital sisterhood into a more structured and sustainable community for girls across Africa. First, I plan to increase meaningful participation by organising more regular guest-speaker sessions, wellbeing conversations and personal development activities based on members' interests and needs. I also want to create more opportunities for girls to share their experiences, contribute ideas and take leadership roles within the community. Second, I plan to expand our reach by welcoming more girls from African countries that are not yet represented and building relationships with organisations, educators and women who can contribute expertise, mentorship and opportunities. Third, I want to improve our website and digital resources so members and prospective members can understand our work, find useful information and engage with the initiative more easily. Finally, I intend to introduce more consistent feedback and impact tracking. By documenting participation, gathering members' perspectives and reviewing our activities, we can identify what works, improve what does not and better understand how the community contributes to girls' confidence, connections and access to opportunities. My goal is to grow Girls Unplugged without losing the sense of belonging and genuine sisterhood at its heart.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
I introduce Girls Unplugged to girls through our social media platforms, personal networks and existing community connections. Our Instagram presence helps people discover the initiative, understand its purpose and learn how to become part of the community. Within the community, we encourage members to participate in conversations, share relevant opportunities and invite other girls who could benefit from the sisterhood. Our guest-speaker sessions and wellbeing conversations also help raise awareness of the importance of girls' confidence, personal development and access to supportive spaces. Growing to more than 180 girls across over 10 African countries has helped us connect with girls beyond our immediate location. Each new member creates an opportunity for more experiences, perspectives and connections to become part of the community. As we grow, I want to strengthen member-led participation so girls can help shape activities, welcome new members and share what they learn with others. I also plan to build partnerships with organisations and individuals whose work aligns with our mission. My aim is not simply to increase membership, but to encourage girls to become active participants in a community where they support one another, discover opportunities and help create the kind of environment they want other girls to experience.
