East Africa, Africa
She's the First
"Let Girls Lead"

Joan Kembabazi is a 25-year-old feminist activist who champions an end to child marriage and girls' education in Uganda. Joan is the Founder and Team leader of Gufasha Girls Foundation and is currently a fellow in She’s the First’s Girl-Centered Incubator.

Africa, Asia, East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, West Africa
She's the First
The Girl Gazette is Here!

The latest edition of The Girl Gazette is here! This edition features a powerful poem about girls' leadership, an important essay about a patriarchal community, and artwork that encourages girls to end period stigma and feel good about their bodies.

The Girl Gazette shares girls' voices from around the world who work with our Partner Coalition organizations. Girls from She’s the First’s Partner Coalition express themselves through art, poetry, and essays about their experiences.

Asia, South East Asia
She's the First
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.

Safiya Speaks Up! Makes Waves in Southeast Asia
Africa, Asia, East Africa, Latin America, South Asia, West Africa
She's the First
Hot Off the Presses: The Girl Gazette!

Check out the newest issue of The Girl Gazette: Volume 5, Issue 1 for Winter 2024! The Girl Gazette amplifies the voices of girls globally and empowers them through art, poetry, and more. We highlight girls around the globe who are a part of our Partner Coalition organizations.

Hot Off the Presses: The Girl Gazette!
Africa, East Africa
She's the First
A Youth Ambassador’s Reflections on the Girls ...

Youth Ambassador Gladys Njeri shares her experience participating in the Girls First Summit, She’s the First’s annual event that brings together organizations for knowledge-sharing and targeted training, with local and global insights on best practices for supporting girls’ rights.

A Youth Ambassador’s Reflections on the Girls First Summit

menstruation

,

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. 

,

Equal Access for ALL Girls to Period Products

,
Equal Access for ALL Girls to Period Products

While menstrual stigma has long been a political topic, one Hon. Gloria Orwoba made a very public plea for women’s and girls’ rights this year in a new and different way. A first-time senator, Hon. Orwoba made her way to the Kenya Parliamentary session on 14th February 2023 in clothing that had menstrual blood. She was asked to leave halfway through the session after her fellow parliamentarians requested the speaker to eject her for supposedly violating the house’s “dress code.” Hon. Orwoba’s actions made a strong statement to advocate for free pads for school girls and female prisoners. As a young woman at the forefront of addressing Period Poverty, this was such a relief for me.

,

End period shame, stigma and poverty.

,

Author: Hope Wambui Ochieng

I am a slum girl, sooo what. Being a slum girl does not make me less a girl, iam proud because I know my right of equality. 

Going to school using a rug like a pad and oops I stain my dress, pointing fingers and laughter becomes the talk of the day, I gain courage to be strong for I have no one to defend me but am still proud to be a slum girl.

I can't fit in the group of girls, speaking fluent English, with branded clothes and a rich lifestyle but am still proud to be slum girl and cannot complain of what my parents didn't offer to me, could be that is what they had.....let's end  period stigma, shame and stigma.

I hope wambui ochieng as a stands for the girl child to get free sanitary towels in my efforts to make this world a better place towards ending period poverty, stigma  and shame. Iam I will and I must join sdg 17 in partnership to support sdg 

3 for good health and well being

4 for quality education

5 for gender equality

And because iam a slum girl I salute and appreciate those faces that smile back when they hear my name HOPE the slum girl.

#endperiodpovertyandshame

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 Poetry Month and the Global Action Week for Education.

Hope Wambui Ochieng, 12, was born and raised in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya. “I started poetry at the age of 6 years, creating awareness and sending messages of hope. During covid era, as the school were closed down due to the pandemic, I saw girls stain dresses for using rags, and some approached me to talk to mum on their behalf so she could get them sanitary towels.” Hope used poetry as a way to advocate for for her school to provide sanitary towels to girls from vulnerable families . “I took up the task of requesting sanitary towels from well-wishers, organisations and try restore their dignity and respect back. My request is for more well wishers, organisations, partners from all walks of life to come on board, support my initiative and be the change she desires in life.” Follow Hope on Instagram at @hopethepoet.