"I am Beautiful in My Own Way"

At 17, Memory Kolesi from Manyali Village, TA Mkanda in Mulanje nearly walked away from school—not because of poverty or distance, but because of her ears. What started as a simple ear piercing after completing her Standard 8 exams quickly turned into a nightmare. Infections left her ears swollen and disfigured, and when she started Form 1 at Milonga Community Day Secondary School, she became a target of mockery. “Some learners would whisper. Others laughed openly and called me names,” Memory recalls. “I hated going to school. I thought maybe I should just stop.”

Her turning point came during a She Creates Change session at her school. The films, facilitated by trained life skills educators, bring real-life stories of girls across the world who face stigma, poverty, or discrimination but choose to rise above. One story stood out for Memory—Diksha’s story. “Diksha said she was darker than her peers and people made fun of her. But she discovered she was unique and beautiful in her own way,” says Memory. “I saw myself in her. My ears don’t make me less. They make me me.”

Through guided discussions and group exercises, Memory began to build resilience and self-confidence. She realized that her worth was not defined by how she looked, but by her abilities and her future goals. Today, Memory has completed Form 1 and is entering Form 2 with renewed confidence. She participates actively in class, supports her peers, and shares her story during group sessions to encourage other girls facing bullying. “I smile now. I answer questions in class. I am not hiding anymore,” she says. “She Creates Change taught me that what others laugh at can actually be my strength.”