Young girls can look up to a number of successful women in today’s society – elected officials, athletes and some celebrities – but many times, these women remain inaccessible due to their fame.
For some, older girls, who may not be on the cover of magazines or television but invest in the lives of younger girls, can have a truly lasting impact.
This is what Kyerra Dexter, a senior majoring in telecommunication and film, hopes Aida to Fari can be for young women in schools in Tuscaloosa.
Dexter founded Aida to Fari as a mentorship program for young girls in elementary to high school to promote positive lifestyles.
“It encourages higher education, endorses self-love, promotes self-respect, upholds high self-esteem, fosters empowerment, supports a healthy lifestyle and brings awareness to various issues affecting young women,” Dexter said.
Her inspiration to start the mentoring program came from after seeing her 14-year-old sister’s positive impact through social media.
“I follow my little sister on social media networks like Twitter and Facebook,” Dexter said. “Some of the things she was posting seemed a little too grown up for a 14-year-old, and I realized I wanted to be a good role model with the things that I put up and also as an individual.”
Aida comes from the Ethiopian word for “princess,” and Fari comes from the Wolof language of West Africa meaning “queen.” The mentors are the Faris and the girls are the Aidas. When the girls finish the program they become Faris also.
“It’s just like how we grow from girls to women, similarly the girls go from being a princess to a queen,” Dexter said.
Dexter said they had approximately 20 mentees and 12 mentors for the group’s first meeting on Sunday. Activities for the girls will consist of some kind of physical activity, critical thinking and small group times, where the girls can participate in a number of activities, including dance, art and music. Each activity is designed to promote self-esteem and support healthy living.
Dexter said they also use the curriculum from the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.
Angela Jones, a social worker from Bryant High School, said she was excited about the new mentoring program.
“This is a very positive thing,” she said. “We are especially appreciative of the way they handle body image. They are using the Dove campaign and teaching girls to be proud of their bodies.”
Caryl Cooper, the faculty advisor for Aida to Fari, said she was pleased to work with Dexter and be a positive force in the community.
“We empower others, we empower ourselves,” Cooper said. “I’m sure the participants and the mentors will benefit from the program.”
Dexter held an information meeting last Sunday for all the mentors.
“I met with all the mentors to make sure everyone understands how to be a good listener, to not be judgmental, and to make sure they know how to talk to the girls,” Dexter said.
She wants to encourage the same self-esteem that is in the girls in the mentors as well.
“We are about being content with who you are,” she said. “We want our mentors to be as comfortable in their own skin as we want our mentees to be.”
Emma Moultrie, a freshman majoring in psychology, is participating as one of the Faris. Moultrie signed up at Get On Board Day and will be helping with activities such as music.
“This is what I want to do with my major,” she said. “I want to specialize in eating disorders. I think this is something needed in today’s society. A lot of girls in today’s society don’t have good role models around their age to look up to, and I think that’s important to have.”
An application to become a Fari can be found on the third floor of the Ferguson Center, and dues are $15. The first Aida to Fari meeting will be at Bryant High School on Sunday, Sept. 30, from 3 to 5 p.m.
Jayme Allen, a sophomore majoring in nursing and secretary for Aida to Fari, said she was looking forward to being a nurturing role model for girls and hopes that, as mentors, the Fari can provide the girls with a positive example they can mirror.
“Aida to Fari has a lot of things going for it because it can be inspiration that they don’t have among themselves,” Allen said. “Seeds planted in schools so that those girls can then be an influence among their peers.”
