Shes the First
Shes the First Girl Leaders Discuss The Power of Girls Education and Leadership
updated
This poem was written and performed by 20-year-old Aliza Puri of Surkhet, Nepal.
The Joy of Learning
My grandmother learnt the first letter at 65
I remember her strive
To write her name
Thinking about how signing her name instead of thumb prints
Would be a changed game
For her.
I remember her eye beaming with pride
As she tried
To remember the letter and what they look like
And what they sound like
And I couldn't be happier for her.
My mom was married off in 9th grade.
The exchange of her education with household responsibility was not a fair trade.
Reading and writing Nepali is no big deal
But English is the real deal.
My mother can't understand my English poems
But she will still watch the whole video
And it has become a norm
For her to ask me for a translation
"K vaneko yo video ma Aliza?"
What are you saying in this video, Aliza?
But she is learning and even though she doesn't like to believe
At the age of 50 she is growing.
She is learning to read English
The words probably sound rubbish to her
She recently learnt to post her comments in social media
And she needs no body's help
Sometimes she may comment
"Beuteful" instead of "beautiful"
Under my picture
But I know what she meant
And I am proud of her
For me,
I love learning Maths and Sciences,
I love to read poems and stories in Nepali and english
I am amazed by learning how our body works in perfect coordination
How the systems in the earth work
And how this universe work
Thanks to the education that I have received
I learnt about the stars and sky
And the ants and fly
and moons and sun
and our heart and our brain
and men and women
and the rock and mountain
and the river and sea
and also about you and me.
But I also learnt that maybe you aren't as blessed as me.
And that makes me feel a little bit guilty
I feel greedy
For not being able to share everything that I have learnt so far
I feel angry
That sometimes those who can
Choose not to.
I hope someday,
All of us would learn about this amazing world, and our amazing body,
And amazing people in this world.
I hope one day,
All of us would learn and grow
Not just academically
But also as person
We will learn to be kinder and braver
And world would really be this amazing place
That I believe it is.
This poem was written and performed by 18-year-old Camille S. Campbell of Arizona, U.S.
I use my voice to change the world
to help the silent to be heard.
For girls to choose their own path
to spread equality at last.
I use my voice for blocks to burst
for every girl to be the first.
This poem was written and performed by 12-year-old Hope Wambui Ochieng of Nairobi, Kenya: shesthefirst.org/stf-blog/2023/4/21/end-period-shame-stigma-and-poverty
End period shame, stigma and poverty
I am a slum girl, sooo what. Being a slum girl does not make me less a girl,
i am 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 I am a slum girl I salute and appreciate those faces that smile back when they hear my name HOPE the slum girl.
#endperiodpovertyandshame
Since 2015, She's the First has received more than $135,000 from your Project for Awesome videos and votes. Hear from Dani Antonio, our Community Engagement Assistant, on why she thinks you should vote for STF this year.
From February 17-19, vote for this video and all other videos in support of She's the First to help us secure critical funding for our ongoing efforts to protect girls' rights.
DFTBA!
#projectforawesome #p4a2023 #dftba
Join the Girls First Network, our platform that brings practitioners together to share best practices and where we share our advocacy and funding opportunities: facebook.com/groups/stfgirlsfirstnetwork
Video by Dear Fox Films
Music by Artlist
Additional Photography by Julia Nagel and Will Barkoff
Video by Rene Moses Ceesay
Editing by Hannah Moore
Music by Artlist
Editing by Elise Cannon
Music by Artlist
Editing by Hannah Moore.
Music by Artlist.
The toolkit, designed through the work of She’s the First, a panel of girls, and contributions from Akili Dada and MAIA, provide guidance on taking girls’ rights to the next level within your own community—including creating a local bill of rights, organizing an online event, and amplifying the rights on social media.
Big thanks to Lélia and Wendy (members of our Girls Advisory Council) and Aisha and Yatee (STF Youth Ambassadors) for starring in our video!
Miriam and her classmate Gela explain the impact of their mentors on their lives. Selina, a mentor for MAIA, discusses her organization's motivation and methods for feminist mentorship.
Support feminist mentorship programs globally: shesthefirst.org/mentorsmakeithappen
Voting begins on Friday, February 25 at 12:00pm ET and closes on Sunday, February 27 at 11:59am ET at projectforawesome.com. Vote for this video and all other videos in support of She's the First at http://bit.ly/Vote--STF to help us secure critical funding for our ongoing efforts to protect girls' rights.
Learn more about She's the First and our COVID-19 response efforts at shesthefirst.org/covid. Learn more about the Project for Awesome at projectforawesome.com.
DFTBA!
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We team up with grassroots organizations to make sure girls everywhere are educated, respected, and heard. Join us at shesthefirst.org.
Voiceover: Malia Baker
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Cinematography by Pamela Zamora and students at Kusi Kawsay Andean School
Editing by Elise Cannon
Music by students at Kusi Kawsay Andean School and Artlist
(Haja is enrolled with our partner organization Project Pikin in Sierra Leone.)
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Cinematography by Miles Kamara
Editing by Elise Cannon
Music by Artlist
(Rose is enrolled in programs of our Ugandan community-based partner, the Arlington Academy of Hope)
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Cinematography by Patience Asaba Katushabe
Editing by Elise Cannon
Music by Artlist
+ STF Programs Manager Alvi Rashid presented "How to Be an Ethical Storyteller," covering how to choose words wisely and write with intention when advocating for girls' rights
+ Remarks by STF co-founders Christen Brandt & Tammy Tibbetts and Girls Advisory Council member Ananya Jain
+ New leadership opportunities for girls with STF HQ
+ Celebration of the Class of 2021!
Countdown: (0:00)
Class of 2021 Recognition: (0:30)
Introduction: (2:21)
How to be an Ethical Storyteller: (4:40)
Leadership Opportunities for Girls: (21:14)
Graduation Address from STF Co-Founders: (24:47)
Q&A: (31:56)
Girls in the She’s the First community will interview the authors and lead an interactive live chat with the audience. Don’t miss this event if:
You want to learn how to make an impact in your community
You want to know what it means to put girls’ voices first
You want to connect with girls’ rights leaders from around the world
This event is intended for youth changemakers and their allies.
Voting begins on Friday, February 12 at 12:00pm ET and closes on Sunday, February 14 at 11:59am ET at projectforawesome.com. Vote for this video and all other videos in support of She's the First at http://bit.ly/Vote-STF to help us secure critical funding for our ongoing efforts to protect girls' rights.
Learn more about She's the First and our COVID-19 response efforts at shesthefirst.org/covid. Learn more about the Project for Awesome at projectforawesome.com.
DFTBA!
#projectforawesome #p4a2021 #dftba
This event will be broadcast live on STF's YouTube page at 12:00 pm ET on Sunday, September 27. The event will be recorded and available to view on YouTube following the broadcast.
Join Kate Kiama (Director of Programs, She's the First) and Adrianne Wright (Founder, I Will Not Be Quiet) for a discussion on the importance of fostering leadership and learn how to take action on this issue right now. Plus, Stephanie Kaplan (Co-Founder, Her Campus) will join us to discuss the Elect Her initiative to train female students to run for campus office.
But did you know that girls' education has been named a top way to fight climate change? Educated girls means more informed decisions and actions around sustainability. And girls' education alone could cut more than 120 billion tons of emissions by 2050. That's some serious potential impact, and we have the chance to act now.
Join Alvi Rashid (Programs Manager, She's the First) and Maryam & Nivaal Rehman (Founders, The World With MNR) for a discussion on climate justice and learn how to take action on this issue right now.
Learn more about the She's the First Week of Action and sign up to participate at shesthefirst.org/week-of-action
Without quality tampons or pads, girls are at risk of increased rates of absenteeism from school, isolation, and infection. In many states across the US, many period products are unfairly taxed, profiting up to $150 million annually, and some are forced to choose between buying food or taking care of their menstrual needs. All menstruators deserve access to safe, accessible, and affordable period products in a shame-free environment.
Join Christen Brandt (Co-Founder, She's the First) and Laura Strausfeld (Co-Founder, Period Equity) for a discussion on menstrual health equity and learn how to take action on this issue right now.
This event will be broadcast live on STF's YouTube page at 3:00 pm ET on Thursday, September 24. The event will be recorded and available to view on YouTube following the broadcast.
Learn more about the She's the First Week of Action and sign up to participate at shesthefirst.org/week-of-action
This event will be broadcast live on STF's YouTube page at 2:00 pm ET on Wednesday, September 23. The event will be recorded and available to view on YouTube following the broadcast.
Register to participate in the rest of the week here: shesthefirst.org/week-of-action
We believe in putting girls front and center. Together with local partners and girls around the world, She’s the First and Akili Dada created the Global Girls’ Bill of Rights, a by-girls-for-girls declaration of rights that was presented to the UN in honor of the International Day of the Girl in October 2019. Now, NGO leaders and practitioners are invited to learn about the next phase of this initiative and receive an education directly from the best experts on girls’ experiences -- girls themselves.
In our season one finale, Christen is sitting down with three recent grads and alumni to talk about life after graduation and making plans during uncertain times. Don’t miss our conversation with Deepa Bohara, Cynthia Muhonja, and Maria Alejandra Quiñonez to learn about life after school in Nepal, Kenya, and the U.S.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to the community who is sustaining our impact right now by funding vital programs for vulnerable girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
In this discussion, Vilma touches upon why local organizations are best suited to support girls affected by this pandemic.
Watch past #FrontRowFriday episodes here: youtube.com/watch?v=wQMRW7skQsY&list=PLvERHYMoqF0eHWk4Fs7kJ2HMTa7W8bb58
Learn more about girls & COVID-19: shesthefirst.org/covid
Videography by Patience Asaba Katushabe.
This Friday's guest is Tess Thomas, the Malala Fund's Editorial Manager and Editor of the award-winning Assembly publication. Assembly is a digital publication by and for girls -- and if you're a girl, you have the opportunity to submit!
Sharing your story is a powerful way to be an advocate and inspiration for other girls. But where do you begin? How do you structure your story to make it ready for publication? Good news: Tess is going to give you some tips and invite you to submit your stories to her, for possible inclusion in Assembly!
We'll also talk about how Tess transitioned her history studies into a communications career, and then pivoted from the corporate world into a job working with the ultimate girl champion -- Malala. This episode is a must-see for any student or young professional who wants to have a career in social impact.
Don't miss it!
Watch past #FrontRowFriday episodes here: youtube.com/watch?v=wQMRW7skQsY&list=PLvERHYMoqF0eHWk4Fs7kJ2HMTa7W8bb58
Learn more about how this pandemic affects girls: shesthefirst.org/covid
Our guests will be calling in from around the globe, to talk about how they are prioritizing girls’ needs during school shutdowns, to protect them from serious risks, and how communities are leveraging educated girls to prevent spread of the virus.
This Friday, Christen is hosting a conversation with Tara Abrahams and Scheaffer Okore, two leaders working on girls’ rights globally, for their insights on women’s leadership during a global pandemic.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to the community who is sustaining our impact right now by funding vital programs for vulnerable girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
This Friday, STF Co-Founder Tammy is hosting a conversation with Esther Ruth Mbabazi and Patience Asaba Katushabe, an award-winning photographer and a filmmaker from Uganda, respectively, who are also close friends. At the start of 2020, they collaborated with She’s the First on a campaign titled #FutureMe, part of our Women’s History Month storytelling. Of course, that campaign took a very different turn in March...and that’s where our conversation will pick up.
We’ll catch up on their experiences of the COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda, and how they are thinking about storytelling during a pandemic. What kind of visuals are important for the world to see? What does it look like to take a feminist lens on the photography and films that come out of this crisis?
Esther describes her work as exploring changing conditions on the African continent, with a focus on the social, physical, and emotional aspects of daily life. Patience, who has worked on notable films like The Queen of Katwe starring Lupita Nyong’o, runs a production company that specializes in telling powerful stories in unique ways.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to the community who is sustaining our impact right now by funding vital programs for vulnerable girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
Our guests will be calling in from around the globe, to talk about how they are prioritizing girls’ needs during school shutdowns, to protect them from serious risks, and how communities are leveraging educated girls to prevent spread of the virus.
This Friday, Christen is hosting a conversation with Fatou Y Jaiteh, Development Director for Starfish International in The Gambia and a community organizer passionate about the power of youth. Our conversation will center on that power, and the steps Fatou Y has seen youth in The Gambia taking to combat our current health crisis.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to the community who is sustaining our impact right now by funding vital programs for vulnerable girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
This Friday, Tammy will speak with Ellie Kaaya, founder of Her Journey to School and a She’s the First Fellow. Ellie is a powerhouse community leader who has gained the respect of many, including Michelle Obama. We will talk about how she is leading through fear and finding the resilience to sustain her programs through a crisis. We’ll also discuss how girls’ organizations are pivoting to provide much-needed COVID-19 emergency relief and prevention to their communities.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to our monthly giving community, which is currently funding COVID-19 emergency response efforts that impact girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
We highly encourage you to learn more about Her Journey to School and fund Ellie’s organization directly at: bit.ly/HerJourneytoSchool
Our guests will be calling in from around the globe, to talk about how they are prioritizing girls’ needs during school shutdowns, to protect them from serious risks, and how communities are leveraging educated girls to prevent spread of the virus.
This week, Christen is hosting a conversation with Vilma Saloj Chiyal, Principal of the MAIA Impact School in Guatemala, the first school in Latin America run by Indigenous women for Indigenous girls. Our conversation will center on the obstacles faced by Indigenous girls and communities during the COVID-10 crisis as well as the ways staff and girls from the MAIA Impact School are working to safeguard their families and communities.
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Front Row Fridays is a special nod to the community who is sustaining our impact right now by funding vital programs for vulnerable girls. You can join for as little as $5/month. Visit shesthefirst.org/frontrow for more information.
Our guests will be calling in from around the globe, to talk about how they are prioritizing girls’ needs during school shutdowns, to protect them from serious risks, and how communities are leveraging educated girls to prevent spread of the virus.
shesthefirst.org/community
To learn more about our strategy and solution and to directly support our efforts, head to: shesthefirst.org/covid
Tara Abrahams, Chair of the Board of Directors and Katie Riley, Director of Strategic Partnerships, joined by Michael Blaugrund, NYSE COO, ring The Closing Bell®.
Video Credit: NYSE
Vote for this video and all of the videos supporting She's the First Dec. 6-8 at http://projectforawesome.com/?charity.... DFTBA!
To learn more about She's the First, visit shesthefirst.org. #p4a2019
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Music from: Scott Holmes.


