Activism Programs, Advocacy, Girl Activist Fellowship, Girl-Led Advocacy, Girls' Programs, Girls' Voices, Impact Stories, Partner Coalition
She's the First
Aliza: Blazing a Trail in Medicine & Poetry

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.

Advocacy, Girl Activist Fellowship, Girls' Programs
She's the First
Girls—and Malala!—Demonstrate to Let World ...

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.

Girls—and Malala!—Demonstrate to Let World Leaders Know What Girls Want!
Advocacy
She's the First
JOINT STATEMENT: Girl-Centered Organizations ...

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.

My Period Diary

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Tracking Change: How the My Period Diary is Helping Girls Take Charge of Their Health

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Tracking Change: How the My Period Diary is Helping Girls Take Charge of Their Health

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.

Empowering West Africa's Girls: Reflections from the 2024 Adolescent Girls Summit in Liberia

Empowering West Africa's Girls: Reflections from the 2024 Adolescent Girls Summit in Liberia

Our staffer Florence Sidi reflects on a transformative week at The Adolescent Girls Summit in Liberia, which equipped over 150 girls from seven West African countries with tools and knowledge to navigate adolescence with grace and resilience. The event featured inspiring speeches, hands-on training with our What Would You Do? (WWYD?) card game, and workshops on critical topics like social media advocacy and reproductive health. Highlights included the introduction of our Period Diary toolkit and an empowering call to action shared with high-level dignitaries. The summit's legacy of empowerment and growth will inspire and uplift young women across West Africa, igniting a brighter future for generations to come.

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Vision and Transformation: A Visit to Arlington Academy of Hope in Uganda

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“My key takeaway is legacy and the power of vision!” wrote Training Manager Emma Mogaka of her recent visit to our Ugandan partner Arlington Academy of Hope. Members of our programs team witnessed our partner’s work in action and led customized trainings in girl-centered design for the organization’s staff, as well as sexual and reproductive health and rights workshops for the girls.