Aliza Puri, an STF Youth Ambassador from Nepal, wrote this poem as a letter to the world from every girl who has been abused, who finds it hard to come forward and ask for justice because she is too scared and embarrassed—until she decides to fight for herself.
On September 21, 2024, in New York City, more than 50 young women from around the world—including the youngest Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and representatives from four She’s the First programs!—gathered to take United Nations member states to task for failing to prioritize girls and young women in the planning and content of the Summit of the Future.
We, the undersigned girl-centered organizations, express our deep concern and condemnation regarding the alarming rise in femicides in Kenya. We stand in solidarity with our fellow women leaders in Kenya who are demanding that the President of Kenya declare femicide and violence against women and girls a national disaster. The government must take swift and decisive measures to protect lives and ensure justice for the victims.
Have you ever met another girl who’s driving change in her community, or connected with a peer leader from another organization similar to She’s the First? All it takes is one conversation to spark a new friendship and gain a fresh perspective on your role within a bigger movement for girls’ rights. When She’s the First Chapter Leader Lara Almeida from the United States sat down with Girl Rising Student Ambassador Zainab Bie from India, this was exactly their experience!
“I live in a society where women only reach elementary school, then look for work or get married. That was my destiny. My father did not want me to continue my studies, but I wanted to continue studying. When I found out about the opportunity that MAIA offered me, I looked for a way to obtain the paperwork together with my mother, so I could enter and achieve my goal of continuing with my studies.”
The Girls First Summit (GFS), a one-day annual professional training for She’s the First partners and grassroots leaders, has grown since its inaugural gathering in Nairobi in 2017. In 2025, we proudly hosted more than 180 practitioners between the 9th edition in Kenya and the 2nd in Uganda. What makes GFS special is how deeply rooted it is in listening to girls.
Growing up in rural Nepal where girls were expected to marry young and stay quiet, Sirjana defied every limitation placed on her. With the support of her mother, a local community-based organization, and She's the First’s programs , she rose to become a national footballer, a student at one of Nepal’s top universities, and a fearless advocate for girls’ rights. From organizing 5K races for gender equality to founding her own nonprofit in Karnali, Sirjana is creating a future where girls are seen, heard, and unstoppable.
Fifteen years ago, when the idea for She’s the First was born, so was a generation of girls who are now transforming their communities and the world. Today, they are leaders—starting careers, advocating for gender equality, and mentoring the next generation, all while achieving milestones like being the first in their families to graduate.
This digital storybook celebrates their journeys and the programs that helped shape them. Through powerful stories and videos, we invite you to witness what’s possible when we invest in girls—especially when governments are working to diminish their agency. As you explore, consider sharing their stories and donating to support the future of this movement.
The past 15 years are just the beginning.
In September 2024, She’s the First launched the My Period Diary Initiative to empower girls through Menstrual Health Education and Management (MHM). With support from Kotex, we partnered with 27 community-based organizations (CBOs) in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, reaching 2,160 girls.
The initiative provided each girl with a copy of the My Period Diary—a simple but powerful tool to help girls track their cycles, better understand their bodies, and build confidence in managing their periods. Along with the diary, girls also received sanitary pads and participated in safe, interactive sessions that made space for questions, stories, and learning without shame.
On May 1st, 170 girl champions joined us for a 15th Anniversary Breakfast Gala, held in WPP’s Sky Lounge in New York City. She’s the First launched a month-long celebration and campaign to invest in community-based organizations, that on the frontlines of educating and mentoring girls.
Here are 8 reasons why this was our favorite She’s the First fundraiser of all time!
In a rural Village in the Andes Mountains of Peru, 15-year-old Yaneth is taking a path that no one in her family has ever taken—one of Education, Leadership, and Empowerment. She’s determined to shatter the glass ceiling and break all preconceived perceptions that are built around girls like her. It's a story of Resilience, Bravery, and Hope!
Ellas al Frente invests in Central American women-led organizations that are turning to girl-centered programs to address rising rates of gender-based violence and strengthen their communities.
At a time of deep uncertainty and overwhelm, She's the First remains steadfast in our commitment to a world where girls are educated, respected, and heard. Hear from our Co-CEOs Kate Kiama and Tammy Tibbetts about why we're still hopeful—and how we're responding to the Trump administration's actions that put millions of girls at risk.
She’s the First is proud to announce our 2025-2026 Girl Activist Fellowship cohort! The Girl Activist Fellowship is an 18-month program where girls learn grassroots organizing skills by planning and executing their own campaigns for girls’ rights.
This year marks a special moment in the history of the Girl Activist Fellowship program: for the first time, we have simultaneous cohorts. While our 2024-2025 cohort finishes its last five months of experience, the 2025-2026 cohort is just beginning. By overlapping, these girls will have the opportunity to learn from one another from two sides of the same experience.
We are excited to announce the addition of 42 new members from over 30 countries around the world to the She’s the First Council! This includes 30 new members of the English-speaking council and 12 new members of the Spanish-speaking council. These inspiring and passionate young women join us from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, making the GAC stronger and more vibrant than ever before!
Across continents and cultures, our partners have shown what’s possible when we come together to empower girls and communities.
From reaching thousands of girls to stopping child marriages, keeping girls in school, and building safe spaces, these wins are proof of what’s possible when we work together.
We are proud to announce our new Advisory Board, who will support the bold vision of our co-CEOs and be a trusted sounding board to our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors.
The initial members of our Advisory Board are based across the United States and Kenya and will serve a 3-year term, lending their expertise in impact evaluation, communications, program design, and resource mobilization.
