She's the First

Our team has been hard at work creating a bold vision for the future of She's the First. We are thrilled to share the culmination of that effort: The Power Plan! This three-year strategic plan lays out our programmatic goals and the steps we'll take to get there. For the next three years, we’ll focus our efforts on two main goals to increase girls’ power at multiple levels. We’ll: ? Build coalitions to positively impact girls’ agency, access, and equity in community-based organizations (CBOs). ? Provide girls with the foundation they need to advocate for their rights in their families, communities, and societies. For this planning process, we worked with the experts:?girls!?We held a series of focus groups with girls to determine the issues they most care about in this moment, noting the ways they hoped She's the First could rise to meet the challenge. Everything our staff, CBO partners, and board members contributed to the process was based on this foundation, resulting in?The Power Plan. Read it, share it, and let us know how you plan to shift power to the girls in your life: https://lnkd.in/gEcka3kA #girlsrights #genderequality #shiftpower

At a time of deep uncertainty and overwhelm, She's the First remains steadfast in our commitment to a world where girls are educated, respected, and heard. Hear from our Co-CEOs Catherine Kiama and Tammy Tibbetts about why we're still hopeful—and how we're responding to the Trump administration's actions that put millions of girls at risk:

We are proud to announce our new Advisory Board, who will support the bold vision of our co-CEOs and be a trusted sounding board to our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors. The initial members of our Advisory Board are based across the United States and Kenya and will serve a 3-year term, lending their expertise in impact evaluation, communications, program design, and resource mobilization. “As we celebrate 15 years of She’s the First in 2025, it is a critical time of reflection and strategizing for a resilient future.” shares Catherine Kiama, co-CEO. “Our Advisors will help us navigate important decisions and opportunities ahead of us.” Tammy Tibbetts adds, “Serving on a non-profit board is a tremendous gift of one’s time, talents, and networks, and we are so grateful these incredible women are leading the way with us!” She’s the First is a registered nonprofit in both Kenya and the U.S. Our Advisory Board members based in Kenya are: Larrissa Bachia, Director of Programs & Partnerships at IDEO.org Jane Maina, Co-Founder & Board Chair, Community Education and Empowerment Centre Kazi Mghendi, Founder, Elimu Fanaka Initiative + Team Lead, The Girl Child & Her Long Walk to Freedom Corazon Sefu Wandimi, Managing Director of Edelman Kenya The Advisory Board members based in the U.S. are: Clara Desalvo, feminist evaluation, impact and learning specialist Dr. Brittany Nwachuku, Assistant Professor of Social Work Alana Rockland, Managing Director of Earned Media, Real Chemistry We will continue to grow our Advisory Board to meet the evolving needs of She’s the First. If you are an executive or senior leader interested in opportunities to serve, please reach out to [email protected].

Across continents and cultures, our partners have shown what’s possible when we come together to empower girls and communities. From reaching thousands of girls to stopping child marriages, keeping girls in school, and building safe spaces, these wins are proof of what’s possible when we work together. Thank you to our partners and supporters for making this impact possible. Let’s keep creating a world where every girl thrives! Our Partner Coalition: MAIA Impact , Kusi Kawsay, Sacred Valley Project, Starfish International, Project Pikin, CARHICOD, Crown the Woman, Msichana Empowerment Kuria, Savana Kitui, GLAMI - Girls Livelihood and Mentorship Initiative, Arlington Academy of Hope, DEHAT India, Sahas Foundation, Shequal Foundation, and The Small World ? ?? #PowerfulPartners #EmpoweringGirls

“Let this holiday be a day of reflection, a day of teaching nonviolent philosophy and strategy, a day of getting involved in nonviolent action for social and economic progress.” – Coretta Scott King Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for a world where everyone was treated equally and fairly. His wife, fellow activist Coretta Scott King, worked for over twenty years to ensure his legacy was honored through #MLKDay. This day is not just for remembering—it’s a chance to act and make a difference. ?? On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, think about how you can help build a fair and equitable society. A starting place is following Black women activists like Bernice A. King, Blair Imani, Danielle Coke, and Nicole Cardoza. ?? Take action to create a better future where women, girls, and everyone’s rights are codified and respected. Get ideas at GirlsBillofRights.org #GirlsBillofRights ?? And remember Coretta Scott King, who made this day possible through her hard work and dedication. Learn more about her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement at The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) Let’s honor their legacy by turning our reflection into action and keeping the dream alive for everyone. ???? #MLKDayOfService #CivilRights #GirlsRights #CorettaScottKing ??: clockwise from top: Bernard Gotfryd/Library of Congress, Dick DeMarsico/New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection/Library of Congress, Herman Hiller/World Telegram & Sun/ Library of Congress

Take action to help ensure girls in the United States can choose their own futures! ??????????????? Contact the Archivist of the U.S. to demand she publish the Equal Rights Amendment. #ERANow Use this template from the ERA Coalition to email Dr. Colleen Joy Shogan at [email protected] Subject: Publish the ERA now! President Biden said the ERA is law of the land, and has met the requirements needed to be published. Do your duty and publish the ERA now! You can also post on social media and tag her, too! (@aotus11_shogan) #ERA #ERAYes #PublishERA #GirlsRights #WomensRights

?? Get to know our new Co-CEO! ?? In her first message in her new role as Co-CEO, Catherine Kiama reflects on STF’s incredible growth in 2024 and shares her and co-CEO Tammy Tibbetts’ bold vision for the future. ? “As Tammy and I firmly ground ourselves in our new roles at the turn of She’s the First’s 15th anniversary, our objective is to build powerful new partnerships to scale our model for depth and influence. Our ultimate goal is stronger outcomes for girls’ education, leadership, and agency, particularly in the Global South/majority world; by expanding and deepening our programming, we can accomplish that for more girls. At the same time, we know our mission will be more relevant than ever for girls in the U.S. as we support their activism for their rights during a fearful time in the country.” Join us to fight for a world where every girl can choose her own future! ???? #GirlsEducation #Leadership #ShesTheFirst #GenderEquality #STF15

We’re thrilled to announce that Cecilia Arriaza, previously Senior Manager, has been promoted to Director of Programs! She leads a team of women from Kenya and Guatemala who implement our Girls First Institute programs—our work to strengthen women-led, girl-centered, community-based organizations. Ceci holds two M.A.s in Mental Health and Development Studies. She brings over nine years of experience in girl-focused programs, including at MAIA Impact , one of She's the First’s partners in Guatemala. Ceci is an exceptional advocate for girls’ rights globally—please join us in congratulating her! -- ?Nos complace anunciar que Cecilia Arriaza, previamente nuestra Gerente Sénior, ha sido ascendida a Directora de Programas! Ella lidera un equipo de mujeres de Kenia y Guatemala que implementan nuestros programas Girls First Institute, nuestra iniciativa que fortalece organizaciones comunitarias dirigidas por mujeres y centradas en las ni?as. Ceci posee con dos maestrías en Salud Mental y Estudios de Desarrollo. Cuenta también con más de nueve a?os de experiencia en programas centrados en las ni?as, incluso en MAIA Impact , uno de los socios de She's the First en Guatemala. Ceci es una defensora excepcional de los derechos de las ni?as a nivel mundial. ?únete a nosotros para felicitarla!

Following the U.S. election results, She’s the First spoke with girls in our Chapters program who live in states and areas where women’s bodies are politicized. A university student from Arizona said that men on her campus held signs that said, “Women are property.” A girl from a high school in Texas told us that boys were walking around the hallway saying, “Your body, my choice.” We asked Allison Choong and Sania Hammad, two alums of our Girl Activist Fellowship, for their thoughts about the rise of sexist discourse and what girls can do to fight back: https://lnkd.in/eTwvvSTr #EmpowerGirls #ShesTheFirst #Feminism #GirlsRights #YouthActivism

Every girl deserves to have mentors who listen to her, a safe commute to school and the space to dream. Kavita’s journey is a testament to resilience and hope. After struggling with transportation issues that kept her from attending school, she was determined not to let anything stop her. With the support of her mentors at our partner Sahas Foundation, Kavita now has the chance to go to school every day on her new bicycle, and her dreams are becoming a reality. "I feel heard, encouraged, and confident. I believe I can do anything I’ve always wished to do." Kavita is not just going to school, she’s building a future where nothing holds her back. Help girls like Kavita break barriers and unlock their potential! https://lnkd.in/e3XsiQG4