"In South Sudan, when a girl is raped, it is common for her parents force her to marry the rapist, receiving a dowry in the process." Around her, Alakiir, 19, often sees girls treated as mere objects of transaction. Thus, "communities legitimize and perpetuate gender-based violence. Men can rape a girl knowing that it will make her their wife," she says.

Alakiir is determined to change that. Known for her willingness to stand up for women's rights, her classmates unanimously appointed her to lead a club against gender-based violence. There, she educated students about sexual harassment and forced marriages.

Yet Alakiir dared not carry her voice beyond the school grounds. "I saw my family and community trading girls for cows. I felt helpless." As the only girl among four siblings, "I didn't dare to speak out. I was afraid of the reaction of my brothers and elders."

Eventually, Alakiir broke free from her fears. In 2019, she joined Search's "Youth Talk" project aimed at amplifying young people's voices. There, she learned to produce radio shows about critical social issues.

"The men in my family only knew me for being calm and quiet." Little did she know that they were listening to her radio shows. And their reactions far exceeded her expectations. "My uncle told me that I should talk to the girls and elders in my village. That we should change the mindset about gender and stop underestimating young girls."

And that's precisely what she did. First, Alakiir, recorder in hand, went around her community to gather their views. Then, back in the studio, she and other young journalists aired them, digging deeper, joining forces to propose solutions and bring about positive change.