Girl Activist Fellowship

Girl Activist Fellows Talk Sex Ed Misinformation

Girl Activist Fellows Talk Sex Ed Misinformation

We spoke with two of our Girl Activist Fellows about sex education, the spread of misinformation in their communities, and what changes they want to see. Sydney, 17, who lives in a conservative rural town in Massachusetts, U.S., pointed out that abstinence-only programs cause harm. Faith Boke, 21, from Kuria, Kenya, shared how her community faces shame and misinformation about menstruation and reproductive health. They talked about the need for thorough and inclusive sex education to clear up myths and reduce the stigma around reproductive health. 

She's the First Girl Leaders Discuss The Power of Girls' Education and Leadership

Safiya Speaks Up! Makes Waves in Southeast Asia

Safiya Speaks Up! Makes Waves in Southeast Asia

Safiya Speaks Up!, the impactful children's book developed by five She’s the First Girl Activist Fellows, is making significant strides in Southeast Asia through the efforts of two of its passionate authors and advocates, Anya Legarda and Allison Choong. It was created to educate young girls about combatting sexual violence and using their voices. Since its digital publication last fall, mentors and parents have shared Safiya’s story with more than 3,000 girls across the globe.

5 Lessons for Girl-Led Activism

5 Lessons for Girl-Led Activism

We kicked off the first day of the 68th UN Commission on the Status of Women with our first-ever side event: "Girl-Led Activism: How to Get it Right," based on the learnings of our Girl Activist Fellowship. How do we make sure we’re doing work that is TRULY girl-led and doing it well?

Girl Activist Fellows Produce Pop-Up Gallery Shows with the Theme “My Body, My Choice”

Girl Activist Fellows Produce Pop-Up Gallery Shows with the Theme “My Body, My Choice”

Girl Activist Fellows from Kenya and the U.S. produced pop-up gallery shows with the theme “My Body, My Choice” for International Day of the Girl. Reproduce This! was a bi-continental art gallery experience produced by a team of girls, for girls. The fellows spent the last year in our program learning how to imagine, plan, and execute an activism campaign and these gallery shows were the result.

Girl Activist Fellows Write Children's Book to Help Girls Navigate Unsafe Situations

Girl Activist Fellows Write Children's Book to Help Girls Navigate Unsafe Situations

In Safiya Speaks Up, Safiya learns the difference between safe and unsafe touch and identifies three trustworthy adults in her life. The accompanying Mentor’s Guide provides additional information, context, and resources so that trusted adults can help girls understand Safiya’s story and how they can use the tools that Safiya used. This project was created, written, and illustrated by fellows between the ages of 15 and 21 across Malaysia, Kenya, the Philippines, and the United States.

Girl Activist Fellows Launch Power of Poetry Campaign

Girl Activist Fellows Launch Power of Poetry Campaign

A girl with an education is unstoppable—but barriers like gender discrimination, poverty, and exploitation prevent many girls from reaching graduation.

Our Youth Ambassadors created the Power of Poetry campaign to amplify girls' voices about this issue for National Poetry Month and the Global Week of Action for Education. Girls aged 11 to 22 from Afghanistan, India, Guatemala, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, South Sudan, the U.K., and the U.S. submitted their work.