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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When I first started college, I didn’t think in a gender-specific way. I didn’t think about feminism. I just wanted to be a researcher.
I thought as long as I was good at what I did, there were no rules. But I was wrong. There are no rules… if you’re a boy. If you’re a girl, you’re allowed to be pretty, but don’t be too smart. Don’t have an opinion.
Hi, everyone! I’m Dani Antonio, the Community Engagement Intern at She’s the First from the Philippines! This past year, I’ve played a special role in STF’s girl-led advocacy efforts. I have a voice in our social media and I get to participate in influential conversations about girls’ rights.
Recently, I joined an Instagram Live hosted by Malia Baker, a 14-year-old actress and activist. You’ll find her starring as Mary Anne on Netflix’s The Baby-Sitters Club and as Gabby on Nickelodeon’s Are you Afraid of the Dark? Off screen, she uses her powerful platform to advocate for gender and racial justice.
Along with the Co-Founder/CEO of She’s the First, Tammy Tibbetts, and Girls Advisory Council member Anuli Ononye, and myself, Malia talked about her journey as an activist. I was really inspired by her and everyone’s genuine drive and passion in striving for representation. As Malia said, it shows us girls that we have a place at the table.
In this chat, you’ll hear us talk about the She’s the First Girls Advisory Council and Youth Ambassador program. With that being said, I want to encourage you to get involved! Positions are open now and you can apply by June 11th here.
Enjoy the conversation!
She’s the First has always funded local organizations and trusted their expertise, but we have made significant adaptations to shift more power to them. In 2017, we moved away from our traditional scholarship (or sponsorship) fundraising model, in which donors were matched 1:1 with a girl they supported.
Author: Anika Mukker, She’s the First Campus Community
I’m terrible with dates, but I’ll never forget March 13. That was the day my school announced that we would not be returning for four weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Four weeks turned into seven months, and now I’m in 11th grade through distance learning.
Education has always been one of the most important parts of my life, and my love for learning was the driving factor for me getting involved with She’s the First. Nevertheless, adapting to virtual school has been challenging. Personally, having tangible projects helps me remain organized and engaged, and I value face-to-face interaction with teachers and peers. In fact, most of my closest friendships have all been built out of decade-long connections through school.
“Four weeks turned into seven months, and now I’m in 11th grade through distance learning.”
But, the pandemic has taught us is that we, as people, especially girls, are incredibly creative and resilient. Nowadays, I dedicate more time to planning out my routine and self-care while leveraging technology to maintain my connections and continue learning. I also try to participate as much as I can in online lectures -- asking questions, engaging in discussion, and putting a little more effort into connecting with my teachers.
However, COVID-19 and remote learning have also taught us that we cannot disregard the disproportionate impact of global crises on girls.
In April 2020, She’s the First published their Girls Can’t Wait report which states that over 750 million girls have been affected by the pandemic, and the Malala Fund projects 20 million more girls will not return to school when this is over, for a total of ~150 million girls out of school. A follow-up report published in September 2020 further details the severe impact—from steadily rising teenage pregnancy rates to increases in the number of girls working outside of their homes.
“For many, being taken out of school is more than losing out an education. It’s losing out on a safe space, a place to create dreams, and a network of support. ”
With schools being closed and students being forced to learn remotely, girls are separated from important connections with friends, teachers, and mentors as well as important programs. For many, being taken out of school is more than losing out an education. It’s losing out on a safe space, a place to create dreams, and a network of support.
All of this is coupled with the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has exasperated the digital divide both on a professional and school level. In the same follow up report, community-based organizations also found that only 25% of girls have access to a tech device to aid in their learning.
With inequitable access to technology, girls' voices are quieted; they are unable to speak out on the issues that affect them, gain equal access to opportunities, and utilize necessary tools for their education. Right now, bridging this divide is more important than ever. Technology is an integral part of remote learning and provides a vital means for receiving an education even while schools are shut down.
“My computer, stable WiFi, and phone are the tools that have truly helped me succeed during this pandemic.”
As much as planning and organization have helped me with distance learning, simple things like my computer, stable WiFi, and phone are the tools that have truly helped me succeed during this pandemic. Without them, my questions would be left unanswered; I would not be able to take hold of opportunities in learning and advocacy.
So let our voices be heard: girls can’t wait. All girls have a right to an education, and we need to keep fighting until even a global pandemic cannot take that away.
Support the COVID-19 Response Fund to support girls’ most urgent needs through this pandemic, including remote access to education, hygiene kits, and more.
About Anika: Anika is a junior at Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom, California and the president/founder of her school’s She’s the First chapter. She’s extremely passionate about girls’ rights, especially when it comes to education and how girls lie at the intersection of so many different issues. Outside of STF, she’s involved in Model United Nations, as she aspires to study international relations in the future. In her spare time, she also loves to draw, write, listen to music, travel, and spend time with her loved ones.
Author: Vishaka Agrawal
Contributors: Faith Nwando, Genevieve (Jenny) Niwenambaza, & Claris Nadini
Around the world, having explicit documentation of major policies and laws help ensure consent and set expectations. So having the Global Girls’ Bill of Rights officially documented makes us feel more empowered than ever.
The bill, which was passed at the United Nations HQ and with UN Women in October 2019 on the International Day of the Girl, was co-organized by She’s the First, Akili Dada in Kenya, and MAIA Impact in Guatemala, and it can be used as a reference by any girl around the world to demand their rights.
One year later, we still have a long way to go in terms of the implementations of the rights featured within smaller communities, but we feel extremely fortunate that we could take this very crucial step towards a fairer, more inclusive world. Throughout the experience, we met really inspiring girl advocates and had the opportunity to represent the voice of girls from more than 30 countries. Helping draft the bill and sharing ideas with panelists from 15 different communities (and across timezones) was a proud experience.
“The bill reaching governments of all countries will mean impact across more local communities where the majority of discrimination happens.”
The Global Girls’ Bill of Rights is the first step to ensure that girls are not denied their basic rights, and it is also a step towards achieving the potentially less obvious rights like the right to pursue STEM and representation in leadership roles. The bill reaching governments of all countries will mean impact across more local communities where the majority of discrimination happens.
We also request social media followers and influencers, global leaders, and students to help us widen our reach and amplify the impact of the bill, because it is easy to take for granted these rights when we are privileged and do not see the social problems that exist even in our own institutions.
Vishakha (left) and Faith (right) at the UN
Alongside myself, fellow girl activists Faith, Claris and Jenny were also part of the panel that worked on the wording of the bill and finalized the final ten rights. Faith and I were two of six girls to present the bill to the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations. Later that day, we had an interview with NPR. The two of us also spoke at the annual She’s the First Summit, where I talked about inclusion in STEM (being a girl in computer science myself) and Faith introduced one of our guest speakers Isha Sesay who reported about the missing girls in Nigeria (especially with the issue being very close to Faith’s heart).
Since launching the bill, it has impacted our own engagement across our campuses. I came back to India after the event and started the first Women in Computing chapter of my college which now has more than 300 active members. This paper in Nature, a top-tier science journal shows that women are only rarely featured as the first or last author in leading journals, so now I organize research-themed events to facilitate discussions between faculty researchers and female students to expose them to the research community.
The right to education was the most important part of the bill for Faith. Where she lives in Maine, there is a large population of immigrants from Salmi and most kids are non-English speakers. Today, she regularly takes part in touring local high school students around, since the teachers face difficulties supporting the needs of all the students.
Moving forward, we want to make sure that every girl is aware that the Girls’ Bill of Rights was passed at a global level, in a way that supports their rights, so that they can demand it without any hesitation. No one should be denied these basic rights. Striving tirelessly towards a better, more inclusive world is a responsibility of every citizen.
About the author: Vishakha Agrawal is a Computer Science undergrad from India. She is passionate about empowering girls pursuing STEM, especially research in Computer Science. You can hear more from Vishakha on Twitter (vishakha__a) and on her LinkedIn (vishakha-a).
About the contributors:
Faith Nwando, originally from Nigeria, is a high school senior in NYC. She is an active member of her college communities and a fierce advocate of girls’ rights.
Genevieve (Jenny) Niwenambaza lives in Kigali, Rwanda. She is in her last year of university at Davis college, Akilah campus. She is 21 years old and a proud feminist. You can find her on Twitter (nizagenevieve) and on Instagram (jennygeniale).
Claris Nadini is a Mechanical Engineering student at Ashesi University. She is the Chair of Badili Zone Organization that upholds education in Mukuru Community in Kenya. Claris is passionate about extending educational opportunities and bringing positive change to political leadership in Kenya. Find her on Twitter (ClarisNadini) and on Instagram (clarisnadini).
By: Ariel Kurtz, New York City
The right to quality, free education—as outlined in the Girls’ Bill of Rights which She’s the First co-organized almost exactly a year ago—is extremely personal to me.
And here’s why: I was born three and a half months premature on a snowy Christmas Eve afternoon in the mid-’90s. I’m the oldest of twins. Due to my prematurity, I had complications. Starting from a very young age, I was put in Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. When I was in elementary school, I struggled learning how to tie my shoes and putting my hair up in a ponytail.
“Girls with disabilities around the world deserve to have the right to an equal education and to have their accommodations met.”
According to the CDC, 1 in every 4 people have some type of disability. So many people think you only have a disability if it is visible. Walkers, wheelchairs, and hearing aids are examples of some common visible disabilities. Disabilities can also be invisible, like learning disabilities or a chronic illness. In the United States, the American With Disabilities Act requires employers to make reasonable accommodations, if you identify as someone with disabilities. Not every country or community has this in place to protect those with disabilities, to offer the accommodations that they need, especially those in the school systems. So many girls around the world don’t have access to equal education at all, compared to their male counterparts. All girls around the world deserve equal education. Girls with disabilities around the world deserve to have the right to an equal education and to have their accommodations met.
My single mother fought for me to have all the services I needed. When I started school, my twin and I needed different services. We went to two different schools and had two different bus stops and school schedules. After I finished kindergarten, I moved from a town on the South Shore of Long Island to my mom’s hometown on the North Shore of Long Island. My brother and I were going to our new school together, though in different classrooms. The school district we moved to had a myriad of school services for students with disabilities. For the most part throughout elementary school, I was mainstreamed in my school classes and I was active in the Newspaper and Literary Magazine club. I also played the violin and sang in the chorus, just like any other student.
“I know that I’m more than my disabilities.”
When I hit middle school, everything seemed to change. I was really struggling with math (which I never liked) and I was put into a Resource Room program, where for one period of the school day, I would get extra help with my homework and I would now get extra time on tests. I would also now take them in a separate location, different from my classmates. When my friends would later talk about their Spanish or French classes in high school, I would feel left out because I had a foreign language waiver and I wasn’t allowed to take a language. There are some days when I feel frustrated that I can’t carry heavy things or when I still struggle to button buttons, but I know that I’m more than my disabilities.
Everyone needs to know: Girls everywhere deserve to have the right to education and girls with disabilities deserve an equal education and the necessary accommodations.
Ariel Kurtz (She/Hers/Her) is a performer and writer based in New York City who stands for love, intersectional feminism, and accessibility. If you would like to learn more about her, you can visit her website www.ArielKurtz.com.
Many girls worldwide are starting month six of school shutdowns, without concrete plans to return for the foreseeable future. She’s the First’s partners are vital sources of support for thousands of girls, ensuring that girls have basic necessities, protective personal equipment, and access to continuing education whenever possible.
Hear from three girls served by our partner Arlington Academy of Hope (AAH) in Uganda on how COVID-19 has shifted their educations and how AAH is stepping up to meet their needs as a community-based organization.
My name is Elizabeth N, and I’m a teenage student in Uganda. I stay with my mother who takes care of my siblings and me. I’d like to share a story with you about how I have been affected by COVID-19.
Previously when everything was normal, I used to go early to school and carry out my lessons like any other girl or student should. I was always able to have my two meals at school, breakfast and a nice lunch. I used to play with my friends and the teachers around me could always guide me on the best things to do.
But due to the outbreak of COVID-19, schools closed and now here I am, at home with my single mum. My mum has to do several small errands for other people like fetching firewood, digging in their gardens, grazing animals like cattle to support us at home. Sometimes, having a meal depends then on whether my mother has work to do during the day or not. Life has changed in this way, because when schools were running, I was always assured of having meals. The girls’ coordinator at AAH has made sure I can continue to receive meals, and I am so grateful for this.
Our school at AAH does provides us with weekly work to do about different educational topics, so we are always kept busy while at home. Many times, I face the challenge of being unable to read at night, because we do not have electricity or solar lights at home, so I make sure to utilize every free time I have during day. I really miss school, my teachers, friends and the care I get while schools are open and am excited to return!
Hello everyone! My name is Fridah, and my dream is to one day become a doctor.
I’m a senior student in my class, and pre-COVID-19, I was going to sit for my national exams this October. Now schools have been closed and I shall not be able to pursue these exams. This is painful, so painful to me coupled with the fact that I knew that I would be going to another class level next year.
At the moment however, I’m keeping myself busy by helping my mother sell in her small retail shop. Through this, we are able to raise some little money for our necessities. During my free time while at the shop, I get to revise my books so that I can always keep myself informed and updated so that even after this, I will be able to perform my best at school when they open. I believe nothing can stop me from achieving my goal!
My name is Salama. I am in the seventh class at the Arlington Academy of Hope. I love my school so much. I also love going to school because it is fun and enjoyable there.
During this lockdown, I have learned a new skill of mending. Whenever my slippers or clothes are ripped or broken, I can mend them on my own so I do not need to spend any money on this.
I encourage all other girls in my community to learn similar skills which can help them and also enable their families to save money, which could be spent on other needs instead of a task that can be easily done.
Your support of the COVID-19 Response Fund ensures community-based organizations like Arlington Academy of Hope and girls in Uganda can survive through this pandemic. Make a contribution now!
In a report from the Bookings Institution, only 25 percent of low-income countries have been able to continue education remotely with access to technology, compared to 90 percent in higher-income countries. At Blink Now, our STF partner in Nepal, girls have access to technology tools, and even then the internet connection can be unstable or inconsistent. Without regular, sustained technology available, that means limited access to safe spaces, regular mentorship, and continued education.
Hear from four girls in Nepal—Jharana, Roshni, Sarita, and Aliza—on how COVID-19 and access to technology has affected their education over the last few months, and what remote connection can make possible in their communities.
