Little Angie Lynn Sackey (aka "Little Nicki") Named Child Rights Ambassador for ActionAid Liberia at FGM Stories of Change Book Launch
The announcement was made on Friday during the launch of Stories of Change a documentary and book developed
ActionAid Liberia has officially named eight-year-old Angie Lynn Sackey, popularly known as “Little Nicki,” as its Child Rights Ambassador. The announcement was made on Friday during the launch of Stories of Change a documentary and book developed under ActionAid’s Just and Equal Communities (JEC) Project.
Little Nicki, a well-known Liberian child public speaker and entertainer, captivated the audience with her powerful spoken-word performance addressing the harmful impacts of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on girls and women in Liberia and around the world.
“Girls are the most vulnerable members of any community,” she said. “They have excessively suffered the negative effects of poverty, inequality, and harmful cultural practices. That’s why I’m here to speak up for children’s protection.”
Her performance, backed by data and insight, moved the audience drawing both applause and solemn silence as she called on lawmakers, traditional leaders, and communities to replace harmful practices with education and empowerment for girls.
Nicki emphasized that FGM is a violation of children's rights and an extreme form of gender-based discrimination. She cited international efforts to eliminate such practices, including the 2008 World Health Assembly Resolution WHA 61.16, which called for cross-sectoral action to end FGM.
“We love and respect our culture and traditions,” she said, “but we must also be willing to make improvements where they are needed.”
Nicki closed with a call for intentional and collective efforts to protect girls, noting that when children, especially girls are protected from harmful practices, they can maintain their physical and psychological well-being and reach their full potential.
ActionAid Liberia’s Country Director, Madam Elizabeth Gbah Johnson, praised Little Nicki’s performance, saying it reflected the core of the organization’s mission.
“Just listening to this young activist, we realized we have found someone who can carry our message,” said Madam Johnson. “Her her insightful analysis, it felt as though she was speaking directly from ActionAid’s country strategy document. That inspired us to take the next step: we reached out to her manager and her parents to discuss the possibility of her becoming an ambassador for ActionAid, especially in advocating for the rights of children, women, and other marginalized groups.”
The Stories of Change book documents the personal journeys of 109 former FGM practitioners who have abandoned the practice in favor of new, safer livelihoods. It is part of the broader Just and Equal Communities (JEC) project, launched in 2019 and funded by the Embassy of Sweden near Monrovia.
Implemented in Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Bong, and Gbarpolu Counties, the JEC Project promotes human rights and gender equality, democracy and rule of law, and sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
To date, the project has targeted over 38,000 women and young people with empowerment programs and tools to claim and defend their SRHR. In its fifth year, it reached 460 FGM practitioners with awareness campaigns and helped strengthen community accountability mechanisms for gender-responsive service delivery.
The appointment of Little Nicki as Child Rights Ambassador symbolizes a new wave of youth-led advocacy in ActionAid Liberia’s ongoing fight against FGM and harmful traditional practices, while protecting the rights of girls and women across communities in Liberia.