{"id":1369601,"date":"2025-08-19T10:10:09","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T09:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwcstaging.co.uk\/?post_type=impact-story&amp;p=1369601"},"modified":"2025-08-19T10:10:09","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T09:10:09","slug":"international-womens-history-month-spotlight-grace-ibwaha-thomas","status":"publish","type":"impact-story","link":"https:\/\/dev.uwcstaging.co.uk\/es\/impact-story\/international-womens-history-month-spotlight-grace-ibwaha-thomas\/","title":{"rendered":"International Women&#8217;s History Month spotlight: Grace Ibwaha Thomas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\"><strong>Grace Ibwaha Thomas (South Sudan, United World College\u00a0East Africa, 2023-2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\"><strong>In honour of International Women\u2019s History Month and International Women\u2019s Day (8 March), UWC is celebrating stories of courage, equality and unity from around the movement. We\u2019re highlighting the inspiring stories of scholars from the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalfundforwomen.org\/\">Global Fund for Women<\/a>-UWC partnership, an initiative designed to expand leadership and education pathways for talented adolescent girls from Sub-Saharan Africa.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-grace-ibwaha-thomas-uwc-east-africa-student-and-gfw-scholar-is-steadfast-in-her-belief-that-gender-equality-not-only-empowers-women-but-is-a-catalyst-for-peace-in-south-sudan-nbsp\" style=\", sans-serif\">Grace Ibwaha Thomas, UWC East Africa student and GFW scholar, is steadfast in her belief that gender equality not only empowers women but is a catalyst for peace in South Sudan.&nbsp;<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Like many South Sudanese of her generation, Grace was born and raised in Kenya, always a foreigner, but with a home, childhood and education far removed from the dangers of civil war. \u201cEven though we were in Kenya, I was raised as a South Sudanese girl in a traditional household. So, I understand our culture and traditions,\u201d Grace explains. But living in Kenya also meant she never fully experienced what it truly means to be from South Sudan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-understanding-the-challenges-women-face-in-south-sudan\" style=\", sans-serif\">Understanding the challenges women face in South Sudan<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Despite the distance, her connection to South Sudan is strong and her ambition is clear: to help build a society where women have the education, independence and rights they deserve. \u201cTo better understand the country, I did a lot of research, especially on women&#8217;s rights. We have a long way to go. One study (in South Sudan)&nbsp;showed that most females\u2014like 80%\u2014and males agreed that \u2018there are times when a woman deserves to be beaten,\u2019\u201d Grace shares, clearly dismayed. \u201cThis is not okay.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Now a scholar at UWC East Africa, funded by the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalfundforwomen.org\/\">Global Fund for Women<\/a>&nbsp;(GFW), Grace sees the opportunity as a valuable chance to gain the knowledge and skills she\u2019ll need to make meaningful change in her home country. \u201cIt starts by establishing yourself so that you have the power to change things,\u201d she explains. With GFW and UWC\u2019s support, Grace has begun to establish herself through a solid educational foundation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">\u201cEducation is the backbone of society; it all starts there,\u201d she says with conviction ignited by her UWC experience. \u00abBecause I&#8217;m educated, I know it\u2019s not okay to be beaten or be married at 12. If we go to the villages and teach women and girls about equity, teach them to be financially independent, teach them their rights, show them what they are capable of\u2014that\u2019s where change begins,\u201d she explains. In Grace\u2019s vision, the power of education transforms communities and fosters a society free from gender-based violence and inequality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Since arriving at UWC, Grace has been on her own transformative journey, one where she\u2019s learned more than academics; she\u2019s learned empathy, resilience and acceptance. \u201cBefore UWC, I used to be more judgemental,\u201d she admits. However, living amongst a diverse community of students from around the world has shifted her perspective. \u201cIt\u2019s opened my mind to new perspectives,\u201d she explains, \u201cI have more context now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">She also speaks more languages now. Grace has added Spanish to her English and Swahili and hopes to learn Japanese and Mandarin in the future. Balancing rigorous academia weighted heavily toward the sciences with other activities, including teaching English to young students nearby and working with disabled children, Grace has embraced the opportunities at UWC wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">\u00abUWC will make you feel like you can change the world because once you have been given a chance to change yourself, the next logical question is \u2018Why can&#8217;t I do the same for someone else?\u2019\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">&#8211;&nbsp;Grace Ibwaha Thomas (UWCEA, 2023-2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Although she is still exploring possible career paths, her ultimate goal is clear: she wants to be a force for change in South Sudan, advocating for the rights of women and girls and pushing for societal transformation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-call-for-a-safer-south-sudan\" style=\", sans-serif\">A call for a safer South Sudan<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Grace\u2019s desire to positively impact her country extends beyond gender equity to peace. In her view, true peace goes beyond simply stopping conflict; it requires addressing the deep-seated gender inequalities, like the ones that persist in South Sudan: \u201cMy dad often tells me that it\u2019s easier to get a gun in South Sudan than a matchbox. That can&#8217;t be normal anywhere. But people are scared of each other; they&#8217;re always ready to defend themselves. I would love to create a system or a community that helps people to feel safe in our own country and in our neighbourhoods, because this lifestyle is not easy. No one is happy.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">She believes education and community-building can play a key role in shifting this dynamic. Tribalism is a huge way of life in South Sudan, but it\u2019s not teaching us about our culture; it\u2019s teaching us who to hate. Instead, if we could come together and learn about peace, learn to reduce fear and to remove these ideologies in people&#8217;s minds about their neighbours and especially women, maybe South Sudan can even grow economically, which benefits everyone,\u201d she says, eyes bright with hope.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Along her journey, Grace\u2019s father has been a steadfast supporter. \u201cMy father believes in me, even when others in the family don\u2019t,\u201d she says. \u201cMy mother is more traditional. She\u2019s fearful of the West and wants me to stay close to home. She\u2019s worried I won\u2019t come back.\u201d But her father\u2019s encouragement has given her the strength to pursue her dreams despite cultural and familial pressure to conform: \u201cHe\u2019s always telling me that I can do anything I set my mind to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\">Grace embodies the transformative power of education, resilience and community support. With GFW\u2019s backing, she\u2019s on a path to bring about meaningful change, setting an example for young people in South Sudan and beyond. But first, she will need to decide between studying medicine and international relations. \u201cI\u2019m applying to both and then I\u2019ll decide,\u201d she says with a smile, a reminder that, for Grace, creating change starts with establishing oneself\u2014and with the support she\u2019s received, she\u2019s well on her way, whichever direction she chooses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\", sans-serif\" class=\"\"><em>Written by&nbsp;Samantha&nbsp;Gayfer, Director of Strategic Development at the Discovery Group.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Grace Ibwaha Thomas (South Sudan, United World College\u00a0East Africa, 2023-2025) In honour of International Women\u2019s History Month and International Women\u2019s Day (8 March), UWC is celebrating stories of courage, equality and unity from around the movement. We\u2019re highlighting the inspiring stories of scholars from the\u00a0Global Fund for Women-UWC partnership, an initiative designed to expand leadership [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1369602,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","country":[232],"story-category":[178,182,179,193],"class_list":["post-1369601","impact-story","type-impact-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","country-south-sudan","story-category-education","story-category-gender-equality-womens-empowerment","story-category-peacebuilding","story-category-uwc-east-africa"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.7.1 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>International Women&#039;s History Month spotlight: Grace Ibwaha Thomas - United World College<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"International Women&#039;s History Month spotlight: Grace Ibwaha Thomas\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Grace Ibwaha Thomas (South Sudan, United World College\u00a0East Africa, 2023-2025) In honour of International Women\u2019s History Month and International Women\u2019s Day (8 March), UWC is celebrating stories of courage, equality and unity from around the movement. 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