At 2, Janani joined @shantibhavan, a former @shesthefirst partner school. Breaking barriers, she became an engineer—rare in her community. Now 24, she’s a Facilities Engineer at ExxonMobil & a role model for girls like her niece. 💪🌍 https://shesthefirst.org/15th#janani
“Allow me go to school, let me write my name.”
This poem, written and recited by Sukeji Modi—a poet and member of our Girls Advisory Council and Board of Directors—shares what’s at stake when girls are denied an education.
Every girl deserves the chance to learn. Let’s make that possible.
Annie found her voice and used it to spark change in Arizona. She’s currently working with girls from 21 countries on a campaign that will champion for girls’ rights globally ✊🏽🌎
https://shesthefirst.org/15th#annie
#GirlsLeadTheWay #ShesTheFirst #Advocacy #GirlsVoicesMatters
Girls at Leer para Soñar are breaking the silence on GBV in El Salvador. This organization (in #EllasAlFrente) is giving girls the tools they need to create a safer and assured future.
https://shesthefirst.org/15th#lps
#GirlsLead #STFImpact #ElSalvador #FeministLeadership
“Our chapter invited something new into our school. Girls are being exposed to new ideas; some girls are the first person in their families to even consider thinking progressively about women’s abilities.” - Siyaa, 17, U.S. President, STF ACP.
Photo of Siyaa (middle) and 2 fellow chapter members holding a She's the First sign.
In Arizona, 17-year-old Siyaa Poddar and her She’s the First chapter chose resilience over silence. Their March With Women Fun Run united 80+ students and groups, showing how one idea can spark a movement.
Read more: [link]
#ShesTheFirst #WomensRights #YouthVoices #GirlsLead #MarchWithWomen
Tandeep found her voice at her first @shesthefirst chapter meeting. That spark led her to the U.S Senate, where she now ensures that girls' voices are heard at the highest level of power:
https://shesthefirst.org/15th#tandeep
At our March STF Chapter meet-up, girls from Texas shared real stuff:
- Burnout
- Dehumanization from male peers
- Mental Health struggles
They left feeling empowered to speak up about their rights.
shesthefirst.org/news-blog-roll/2025/4/3/...
Girls in Aliza’s community were expected to stay quiet. But she chose a different path. With support from She’s the First & our graduated partner BlinkNow, she's in medical school, on a path to becoming a gynecologist.
Listen to Aliza’s powerful poem: https://loom.ly/NKRUqik
From being told she was “nothing” to graduating uni, playing for Nepal’s national soccer team & founding Himshaakti Foundation—Sirjana proves what’s possible when girls are supported to thrive. ✨
đź”— https://loom.ly/FWiWVlg
"By prioritizing listening, creating supportive environments, and investing in the ideas of young women leaders, we can empower them to lead with confidence, drive social change, and make a lasting impact on a global scale." — Cynthia Muhonja, Life Lifters Kenya, Girls First Institute Alumna
Through her organization, Life Lifters Kenya, Cynthia is transforming girls' lives in Kenya by providing them with menstrual health support, mentorship, & education. With support from STF, she’s already reached 118 girls, & she’s just getting started. https://shesthefirst.org/15th#cynthia
Wendy speaks at the Ellas al Frente conference.
Wendy graduates from high school.
Wendy supports girl attendees at the Ellas al Frente conference.
Wendy’s award-winning artwork at the She's the First Reproduce This art show.
✨ “I changed the cycle of many girls in my community.”
Wendy, a MAIA graduate from rural Guatemala, is proving that girls can write their own futures—through education, art & leadership. 💪
Read her story ➡️ https://bit.ly/stfblog-2025
#GirlsLead #EducationForAll #SheTheFirst #GirlsRights
From a small village in The Gambia to the UN, Mariama’s journey shows what's possible when a girl is supported and mentored. Mentorship at our partner @StarfishIntl changed her life, and now she’s changing others' lives. shesthefirst.org/15th#mariama
#FeministMentorship #TheGambia
@lara.b.almeida, Girls Advisory Council member & @stf_pshs President, shares how speaking to Congress changed how she sees her power 💬💪
Read her story of hope, advocacy, and the fight for global education: https://bit.ly/stf-blog-2025
#YouthVoices #GlobalEducation #AdvocacyMatters #HopeInAction
What Would You Do? Girls Tackle Topics Through Play
At @HavenofdreamsKE, the #WWYDGame is turning silence into self-expression. Girls are opening up about issues affecting them without fear: https://shesthefirst.org/15th#wwyd
Esther, from our partner Arlington Academy of Hope, shares a powerful vision for why investing in girls changes everything. Listen to her recite her poem, "The Future is Female." #GirlsLead #TheFutureIsFemale
Girls know best what their needs are—that's why we put their voices front and center.
Listen to members of our Girls Advisory Council explain that "true equality begins with listening."
#GirlCenteredDesign #PeopleCenteredDesign #GirlsFirst #ShesTheFirst
Emma helps three practitioners
group photo
Creating Safe Spaces for girls' SRHR programming
Kate speaks into a microphone
✨ Scenes from the #GirlsFirst Summit in Kampala! ✨
On July 17, women-led, grassroots organizations from across Uganda came together to celebrate girl-centered leadership, share knowledge, and strengthen the movement for girls’ rights.
We know firsthand that girls' organizations are often under-resourced (whether in money, staff, or time). That's why we provide tools and resources free of charge. Access them here: shesthefirst.org/girls-first-institute-re... #GirlsFirst
If you missed #GirlsFirst Summit, join our Girls First Institute, the premier skills-building, outcomes-improving training program designed exclusively for women who uplift girls in their communities! https://shesthefirst.org/girls-first-institute
What girls said: why is it important for girls to have safe spaces? Stress relief and management, get advice and solutions, emotional support, social skills and development, challenging stereotypes, trust and emotional safety for open conversations, guidance, empowerment and confidence.
The #GirlsFirst Summit breakout session on Creating Safe Spaces for SRHR Programs is putting girls' voices at the center. Here is why safe spaces matter to girls:
Safeguarding is the responsibility that an organization has to make sure their employees, operations, and programs do no harm to children, young people, or vulnerable persons nor expose anyone to abuse or exploitation. This term also includes protecting staff and representatives from harm resulting from working with us.
As girl-programming practitioners, it’s our duty to ensure our people & programs do no harm—protecting girls & youth from harm or exploitation. This #GirlsFirst Summit session unpacks 4 key safeguarding standards & puts them into practice with real-life scenarios.
Asset-Building Approach: a community-driven, asset-based approach is a methodology that focuses on harnessing and building upon the strengths, resources, and capacities within a community to address its own needs and aspirations. We recognize that communities (and girls!) have inherent assets, such as: local knowledge, skills, cultural heritage, social networks, and physical resources that can be mobilized to create positive change.
In today’s “Identifying Assets” session, participants learn to:
🌸 Understand girl-centered assets
💬 Reflect on girls’ experiences
🔧 Apply @pop_council’s asset-building framework
🎯 Pinpoint priority assets for subgroups
Let’s design stronger programs for girls! #GirlsFirst
We’re keeping the energy from the Nairobi #GirlsFirst Summit rolling by hosting another Summit in Kampala today! This conference brings community-based organizations together to strengthen their programs, build girls' power, and network!
✨ Still feeling the energy from our 9th annual #GirlsFirstSummit in Nairobi! 💛 Grateful for the changemakers advancing girls’ rights & leaving with practical tools + renewed purpose to center girls’ voices & power. 💪🌍 #GirlsRights #ShestheFirst
We know firsthand that girls' organizations are often under-resourced (whether in money, staff, or time). That's why we provide tools and resources free of charge. Access them here: shesthefirst.org/girls-first-institute-re... #GirlsFirst
If you missed #GirlsFirst Summit, join our Girls First Institute, the premier skills-building, outcomes-improving training program designed exclusively for women who uplift girls in their communities! https://shesthefirst.org/girls-first-institute
Build your story: - who is the main character? - what challenge did they face? - what changed because of your program? - what do they hope for next?
đź“ť Storytelling is strategy.
Great stories don’t just inform — they move people.
With @girlrising, we’re learning to:
đź“Ś Identify compelling impact stories
🎯 Tailor stories for different audiences
đź“Ł Use storytelling as a tool for fundraising
#GirlsFirst #NarrativePower
A trauma-informed approach recognizes that many girls carry emotional wounds from past experiences.
Safe spaces are essential for girls’ emotional well-being.
With @NivishF, we're learning to:
âś… Set supportive group norms
âś… Handle disclosures with care
âś… Refer girls to trusted mental health resources when needed
#GirlsFirst #SEL #SafeSpacesForGirls
What is Mental Health? Mental Health refers to our emotional, psychological and social well-being.
Mental health matters.
Today’s session with @NivisheF explores how to recognize signs of trauma, stress, and emotional distress in adolescent girls—and respond with empathy, care, and respect. 💜
#GirlsFirst #MentalHealthMatters #TraumaInformedCare
We’re kicking off the 9th annual #GirlsFirst Summit today in Nairobi. This conference, designed with practitioners working in Kenya, brings community-based organizations together to strengthen their programs, build girls’ power, and network!
