Reflecting on my time serving on the Girls Advisory Council of She’s the First (now merged with Girl Rising), I am overwhelmed with pride and gratitude for an experience that has expanded my advocacy for girls’ rights and strengthened my commitment to creating a more equitable world. This chapter builds upon a journey that began during high school, where I first recognized the power of collective action and grassroots initiatives to make meaningful change. My advocacy started

My name is Robina Azizi, and I am one of the millions of girls deprived of education.  When the Taliban began taking control of Afghanistan's provinces, I attended school without concern, taking my mid-term exams, aiming to graduate from a good school and complete my studies. I had lofty ambitions, promising myself that one day I would study at a reputable university and help my country and girls deprived of proper education. But I never thought my dreams would end because I

By Peggy Baela, Girl Rising Student Ambassador My name is Peggy Baela. I am 18 years old, and I completed my secondary school education in 2025 at Nsobe Secondary School. In 2023, while I was still a learner, I joined a global leadership program called Rise for the World. This initiative targets young people aged 15–17 who are leading community-based projects aimed at creating positive social change. Participants were required to identify real challenges in their communities

by Raissa, Member of the Girl Rising Girls Advisory Council Life often happens in bits, each one working quietly with the others to shape an identity, a creative, or a narrative steeped in uncertainty. Every bit is a fragment of a larger puzzle, carrying its own memory, belonging first to itself. Twenty years have slowly drifted down memory lane, from ignorance to experience. Every fight, fright, and flight felt like a rehearsal for the woman I am becoming. Little Raissa was

by Mahita Vootukuru, Girls Advisory Council Member Growing up in 20th-century India, my grandmother never received a formal education due to societal preference for sons. Nevertheless, she ensured her daughters were educated and empowered to forge their own paths. My mother carried forward this legacy, balancing a full-time job with managing our household while passing down my grandmother’s values of resilience and empowerment to me. I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my pas

A conversation between Student Ambassador Rebecca Yang and Girl Rising Community Manager Naomi Ramos Naomi - What drove you to create Read to Respond and when did you start? Rebecca - Read to Respond was born out of my love for reading and community service. Originally, I started it as a school club last year, where I hoped to show classmates the power of turning words into action. We have partnered with 6 local nonprofits around the area, hosted volunteer events, and most im