“It saved my life” – The peace-wall charity helping women and girls ‘GLOW’
GLOW was created in 2011 after the founder realised women on the Shankill and Falls had a big issue in common.
Last updated 6th Mar 2022
A West Belfast charity that straddles the peace-line has been hailed as life-saving.
GLOW, which stands for Giving Life Opportunities to Women, is the brainchild of Chara Clarke.
A life-coach by trade, she realised that women on both sides of the wall shared common issues – low self-esteem, no confidence, and a lack of ambition or purpose.
They run courses for girls over 10 and for women, in the City Life Centre building, which is half on the Falls side of the peace line, and half on the Shankill side.
The Lily scheme builds the confidence of 10 to 13 year olds, Fearless Female is for the personal development of 14 to 17 year olds, the Pass Project is centred around employability of 16 to 24 year olds, while The Real Me programme for over 18s helps participants make positive life changes and begin living a life of purpose.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, Downtown Cool FM sat down with Chara to speak about the issues facing women in the area, and to quiz her about tips for overcoming those issues.
Paula, 38, joined The Real Me programme four years ago, after finding herself at a low-point in life.
Ill-health had rendered her unable to function, and meant she was shut away in her bedroom for days at a time with the curtains drawn.
She told Downtown Cool FM how the course helped her regain her zest for life, and how she stayed on afterwards to set up and run a social clothing enterprise, You Glow Girl, within the charity.