Written by Joey Wan and Zachary Ong, Head Prefects
Rosalind Franklin had a huge impact on scientific development, but as she helped to discover the double helix structure of DNA, she went largely unrecognised. Why? Because she was a woman. Over the course of the last month, we have sought to amplify the stories of some of the many, like Franklin, who have been undervalued in the course of history, with the goal that the women in our own community will be keener to stand up for things they are passionate about, and be valued for doing so. After all, if women are half, or maybe more than half the sky, then we really all need to live this out in our day-to-day.
As a Prefect body we put up posters supporting gender equality and held a hugely successful bake sale. The fundraising was one aspect of this success, but perhaps the most crucial element was the dialogue created by the pledge cards and photo booth, where our student body wrote promises to challenge stereotypes and bias. It was a fun activity, but underpinned a serious message.
The proceeds from our Bake Sale went to Days for Girls, an NGO that works to increase teenagers’ access to sanitary kits which empower over 1 million girls worldwide to go to school or work, rather than stay home because of the stigma attached to their period. Days for Girls works towards the delivery of quality menstrual care solutions, health education, and income-generation opportunities in needy communities. Their motto states that ‘when we mobilize girls and women, their communities and our world grow stronger.’ As prefects we believe that this was a very fitting direction for the proceeds generated in activities working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality and our Learner Profile Trait of Open-mindedness.
