Kenya

15 Years Strong, She’s the First Appoints Co-CEOs for Next Chapter

On the 15th Anniversary of She’s the First — a leading organization in the movement for girls’ rights — Co-Founder/CEO Tammy Tibbetts is proud to announce a new chapter ahead: Beginning on January 1st, she and Catherine (Kate) Kiama will begin serving as Co-CEOs, reporting into the Board of Directors together.

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

Girls First Summit 2024 Debuts in Uganda and Shines in Nairobi

Girls First Summit 2024 Debuts in Uganda and Shines in Nairobi

After months of meticulous preparation, the 8th iteration of the Girls First Summit in Nairobi and the first-ever Summit in Uganda finally arrived! Girls First Summit, hosted by She’s the First,  brings together courageous women who work with underserved girls to strengthen their programs, learn practical ways to build girls' power in their communities, and network.

She’s the First Launches Girls First Institute to Revolutionize Professional Development in Global Girls’ Rights Space

She’s the First, a global girls’ rights organization, is thrilled to announce the launch of the Girls First Institute. This groundbreaking initiative equips grassroots organizations worldwide with the resources, tools, and strategies to prioritize girls’ rights, education, and agency in their communities.

The Girls First Institute, which offers two certification levels, “Essential” and “Advanced,” provides vital skills in girl-centered program design, feminist mentorship, and sexual and reproductive health and rights programming, addressing the lack of affordable, high-quality training for women-led, girl-focused organizations in the Global South.

JOINT STATEMENT: Girl-Centered Organizations Condemn Femicide in Kenya

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.

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.

Community-Centered Change: A Visit to Savana Kitui in Kenya

Our partner Savana Kitui works with schools to create safe spaces for girls to mentor and address issues of gender-based violence, access to quality education, economic justice and rights, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). They have done so by creating safe havens through the use of art, music, dance, and sports in order to build relationships with girls and address other more complex issues. 

Creating Positive Change for Girls in Kenya: A Site Visit to Msichana Empowerment Kuria

The Swahili word “Msichana” translates to “girl.” Our new partner Msichana Empowerment Kuria (MEK) is a women-led and girl-centric nonprofit organization that stands firmly behind the concept its name represents.

Recently, members of our programs team traveled to Migori County, Kenya, to learn more about this grassroots organization through talks with their program staff and the girls they serve.

Our Biggest Investment: Meet Our 2023-2025 Partner Coalition!

We’re proud to announce the 15 women-led organizations taking part in our Partner Coalition for the next three years! Through the She's the First Partner Coalition, we provide transformational funding and support to community-based organizations (we call them CBOs) serving girls in the Global South.

Our active cohort consists of 15 CBOs in 10 countries, engaging 9,475 girls across East and West Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. Together, we increase girls' agency and leadership through feminist mentorship programs.

Learnings from the Girls First Summit

Learnings from the Girls First Summit

The Girls First Summit convenes organizations for knowledge-sharing and targeted training, with local and global insights on best practices for supporting girls’ rights. This year, the full-day summit brought together 78 practitioners from 49 organizations.