Simbiyat Folorunsho: Confidence is the most underrated skill every girl needs

Simbyiat Folorunsho

In the face of despair lies a changemaker. Courageous. Selfless. Solution-oriented. She is dissatisfied with the status quo. She will not dance to the tune of complaining about everything wrong; rather, she will be part of the solution. Simbiyat Folorunsho, Founder, Girlity Foundation, is a light in this world. In her own sphere, she is working with girls to build a solid and secure future for them.

From a childhood experience depicting marginalised and maltreated women, she gave birth to a movement under her organisation. The light bulb moment for her was when she witnessed an underage girl carrying a baby being publicly beaten by her supposed husband.  The truth is painful. Having been there, the chances of separating the two were slim. The normal thing was to look and pass by, but the right thing to do was to call for help and try to free the victim.

This is just one case scenario from the many instances of illtreatment women face privately. While the boychild must not be neglected, the girlchild continues to bear the brunt of a failing economic system. We have gone past talking and into no action. 

Simbiyat is a proof of practising what you preach. In a chat with Omote Ro Dhe, she shares her journey into girls' and women's empowerment. This was not just like every conversation; it hit differently. It was a call to action to do what you can, where you are and with what you have. 

Read excerpts below:

Who was Simbiyat before the Girlity Foundation? What shaped your passion for girls’ education?

Simbiyat was steadily building her life and family long before Girlity Foundation was born, but the passion to transform women had already taken root within her.

What shaped my deep commitment to girls’ education was the women I observed growing up. I saw women who lacked ownership of themselves, a reflection of diminished self-worth. I witnessed marriages where women endured abuse because leaving felt impossible; their value had been reduced to the institution of marriage rather than the worth of their own lives. I saw a painful absence of agency.

That reality ignited a lifelong resolve: to lead girls differently. Because girls today become women tomorrow, but empowered girls become confident women. Women who know their worth, understand their potential, and have built the agency to choose, to walk away when necessary, and to shape their own destinies.

Was there a defining moment that made you say, “This cannot continue”?

I remember running an errand for my mum one day when I saw a young girl, she couldn’t have been more than 16 or 17, being publicly beaten and humiliated by the man who was supposed to be her husband. She had a little child in her arms. I stood there, stunned.

And I remember thinking: this could have been different.

If she had been given the space to build herself…

If she had developed confidence and agency…

If she had been taught that her life had value beyond marriage…

Perhaps she would have been in school. Perhaps she would have been pursuing a career. Perhaps she would have known she had options.

In that moment, something settled in me. I realised how often the traditional way of raising women prepares them only to build a home, to care for a husband and children, but rarely to build themselves. Rarely are they directed toward their potential, their identity, their dreams. They are taught to think of everyone first and themselves last, until one day they wake up, if they ever do, and realise their own possibilities have quietly faded.

I have carried that moment with me for years. Even as a young girl, I knew something had to change. And that conviction has never left me.

Tell us about the Girlity  Conference. What happens in that room?

The Girlity Conference, hosted by Girlity Foundation, is more than an event; it is an activation space.

What happens in that room is intentional transformation.

It is where girls and young women are seen, heard, and challenged. It is not just talk; it is structured engagement. Conversations around confidence, identity, self-worth, leadership, emotional intelligence, purpose, and personal development are unpacked in practical ways that they can apply immediately.

In that room:

• Girls confront limiting beliefs.

• They ask hard questions.

• They learn to articulate their thoughts and own their voices.

• They are exposed to mentors and role models who reflect possibility.

• They build community with other girls who are also choosing growth.

There is vulnerability. There is learning. There is reflection. There is activation.

The atmosphere shifts from uncertainty to clarity, from silence to expression, from doubt to conviction. Many walk in unsure of themselves, but they leave more aware, more confident, and more intentional about their lives.

The conference is not just about inspiration; it is about equipping girls with the mindset and tools to step into leadership in their schools, homes, and communities.

What happens in that room?

Seeds are planted.

Voices are strengthened.

Agency is awakened.

Can you share a story about a girl who illustrates why this work matters?

It’s difficult to share just one story because my team and I have encountered so many in the course of our work with Girlity Foundation.

At our conferences, we always create space for questions. Girls can either step forward to speak or write their questions down anonymously if the issue feels too sensitive. And it is in those quiet, folded pieces of paper that you truly see why this work matters.

We have read stories from girls who feel trapped, some battling substance abuse as an escape from pain, some being pressured or already forced into early marriages, suddenly realizing they have dreams and ambitions they were never given the chance to pursue. Others write about emotional abuse, low self-worth, confusion about their identity, or simply feeling invisible and unheard.

There have been moments when we stand there, holding those notes, and feel the weight of their realities. Young girls carrying burdens far beyond their years. Brilliant minds already convinced their lives are limited.

And in those moments, it becomes clear: this work is not optional. It is urgent.

Because when a girl begins to question her limitations, when she dares to write, “I want more for my life,” that is the turning point. Our role is to meet her at that point, to remind her she has agency, options, and a future worth building.

That is why this work matters. It is about interrupting cycles, restoring hope, and helping girls rewrite the narrative of their lives.

What does empowerment mean to you beyond motivational language?

Empowerment, to me, goes far beyond motivational language or inspiring quotes.

It is practical. It is structured. It is measurable.

Empowerment means providing a girl with the tools, knowledge, exposure, and support systems she needs to make informed decisions about her life. It means helping her build confidence, yes, but also competence. It means developing her voice, her economic awareness, her emotional intelligence, and her sense of agency.

Empowerment is when a young woman can walk away from what diminishes her, choose what aligns with her values, and create opportunities instead of waiting for permission.

It is not hype.

It is preparation.

It is access.

It is ownership.

It is sustainability.

True empowerment shows in choices, in boundaries, in leadership, and in the quiet certainty of a woman who knows her worth and can back it up with skill and structure.

One book or film that changed your perspective?

One book that has changed the trajectory of my life and given me the courage to start to build Girlity Foundation is a book titled “Climbing the Ladder in Stilettos” by Lynette Lewis.

Books or heels or makeup?

Books.

Can you mention a habit that keeps you grounded?

Reading books;

As long as it adds to knowledge, for me, learning never ends.

What would success look like for you personally?

Success, for me personally, looks like building a sustainable structure that consistently mentors girls and young women, a system that outlives me and continues to nurture confidence, strengthen self-worth, and help them fully realise their potential.

It looks like creating safe spaces where girls discover their voices, build agency, and step boldly into leadership. It means impacting thousands across Nigeria and the wider African continent, raising a generation of young women who are secure in who they are and equipped to shape their own futures.

For me, success is not just numbers; it is transformed lives, multiplied impact, and a legacy of empowered women.

What do you think is the most underrated skill every girl needs?

Confidence!

Confidence is not something anyone is born with; it is built, layer by layer, through experience, growth, and courage. It requires intentional effort, stepping beyond comfort zones, and choosing to believe in yourself even when doubt whispers otherwise.

Yet once built, it becomes transformative. In the world we live in, where girls are often questioned, limited, or underestimated, confidence is not just a trait; it is a shield and a compass. It shapes how a girl sees herself, how she allows others to treat her, and how boldly she pursues her dreams.

Confidence doesn’t just change how a girl shows up in the world; it changes the world she believes she deserves.

If you could mentor your younger self, what would you say?

I would say: be unapologetically you. Be bold. Be confident. Don’t shrink yourself to fit into other people’s comfort zones. Care less about what people might say or think, opinions are loud, but they don’t define your destiny.

The world is yours for the taking. Own your space. Own your voice. Own your journey. At the end of the day, you are the one who lives with your choices, your dreams, and your growth.

Stay true to yourself, and the world will eventually adjust.