

Girl Rising Fellows

Projects for Girls, By Girls
The Girl Rising Fellowship is an 18-month programme for a global cohort of girls aged 14-22, representing 6 continents. It provides a foundation of leadership, activism, and organizing skills that they can draw from for the rest of their lives.
If you’re a girl, you can take action right now with them — below, you can interact with the projects our Fellows have created for girls in their communities and worldwide, all inspired by the Global Girls' Bill of Rights.
Do you have your own ideas for advancing girls’ rights, but aren’t sure how to take the first steps? Apply for our next Fellowship cohort. Watch this space for application announcements.

…stopping emotional violence
ShieldHer is an interactive workbook that helps girls and young people understand how to identify, respond to, and work to stop emotional violence.
Download the workbook here.
Download the mentor guide.

...girls' right to safety from violence
Safiya Speaks Up follows a young girl as she learns to distinguish between uncomfortable and safe interactions in her community. She comes to understand safe and unsafe touch and identifies three trusted adults she can turn to. The accompanying Mentor’s Guide offers context, guidance, and resources to help adults support girls in understanding Safiya’s story and applying the tools she uses.

...girls' right to protection from harmful cultural positions
A 16-year-old Fellow partnered with Msichana Empowerment Kuria to hear directly from girls affected by FGM, who’ve become activists for themselves and other girls. She created a viewing guide for a Chapter or a Mentor to use when screening the conversation with girls.
Watch the video here
Download Chapter Viewing guide Download the Mentor guide.

…listening to girls’ solutions for improving education access
Girls filmed girls and experts discussing what stops them from getting an education and what THEY think the solutions should include.
Watch the documentary.
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...girls' pursuit of leadership positions
HERizon Fest was a girl-led conference held in April 2025 that empowered girls and young women to step into leadership roles and gain confidence. The sessions break stereotypes and show that girls belong in the rooms where decisions are made.
View recordings here!
![[HERizon+Fest]+web_edited.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/54bef0_f667e08d830c44dab708075955a04910~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_404,h_293,al_c,lg_1,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BHERizon%2BFest%5D%2Bweb_edited.jpg)
...using poetry to challenge barriers like bias and exploitation
Fellows created the Power of Poetry campaign to amplify girls' voices about this issue for National Poetry Month and the Global Week of Action for Education.
Girls aged 11 to 22 from Afghanistan, India, Guatemala, Kenya, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, South Sudan, the U.K., and the U.S. submitted their work.
Be inspired to use your voice for change!

…learning about cultural differences and similarities in sexual and reproductive health education
Girls from different countries came together to discuss cultural differences and similarities like purity culture, and how it impacts their access to sexual and reproductive health education.
Listen to the podcast.
Download the mentor guide.
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girls' right to education about their bodies
Beyond Bleeding shares sisterly insights and advice on menstrual health and period experiences. It was designed for girls who have little to no Internet access, but it is a valuable tool for any girl. The zine can be considered a sister resource to our existing My Period Diary.
![[BEYOND+BLEEDING]+Zine+Pages+Preview+(16](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/54bef0_34407ff1d2b04b11a45d1c03ee63eb41~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_404,h_293,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/%5BBEYOND%2BBLEEDING%5D%2BZine%2BPages%2BPreview%2B(16.png)
...using art to advocate for your right to comprehensive sexual education
Fellows Produced Pop-Up Gallery Shows with the theme “My Body, My Choice.” For International Day of the Girl, girls from around the world created art to express their right to comprehensive sexual education and access to free, quality reproductive healthcare. Many of these girls come from communities where it is taboo to even talk about sex; making artwork in support of their reproductive rights is a radical act in itself. Be inspired to use your art for change.

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Meet the 2026 Girl Rising Fellows

Adrienne became a Girl Rising Fellow because she wants to use storytelling to speak up for girls in rural communities who don’t always get a chance to be heard. She dreams of creating work that inspires girls to stay in school and believe in their power. When she’s not studying, Adrienne enjoys reading, playing football, and taking photos of everyday life around her.

Adrienne
Uganda

Alia became a Girl Rising Fellow because she believes education is a lifelong tool that empowers women of all ages, and she wants to help make it accessible to every woman. She is studying Chemical Engineering with aspirations in sustainable aerospace and clean-tech innovation.

Alia
UAE

Girl Rising is thrilled to have Asyl as part of the Fellowship programme!

Asyl
Kyrgyzstan

Christabel became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is passionate about empowering girls and creating supportive spaces for women to be seen, heard, and uplifted. She is an emerging cybersecurity professional and community builder, blending technology, storytelling, and advocacy. She hopes to amplify impact-driven projects like Dear Belle and champion opportunities for young girls across Africa.

Christabel
Mauritius

Fatima became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is committed to advancing educational access and gender equality for girls. As co-leader of afriCAN, a youth-led nonprofit supporting girls’ schooling in Sierra Leone, she works to remove financial and cultural barriers that keep girls out of the classroom. She hopes to continue amplifying girls’ voices and advocating for their rights through a career in law.

Fatima
USA

Girl Rising is thrilled to have Kanisa as part of the Fellowship programme!

Kanisa
Bangladesh

Loreen became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is passionate about empowering girls through education and data-driven advocacy. She hopes to use her background in Economics and Statistics to support evidence-based solutions for gender equality.

Loreen
Kenya

Monique-Esther became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is passionate about advocating for girls right and saw this as a platform to connect and share ideas.

Monique-Esther
Cameroon

Peace is a passionate university student with a strong interest in leadership, community development, and social impact. She actively engages in mentorship programs and initiatives that empower young people and girls. She is driven by a desire to create positive change through education and advocacy.

Peace
Uganda

Safi is passionate about technology and problem solving She is pursuing her bachelor in software engineering and her dream is to transform the DRC into a exporting country.

Safi
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sravya is a Girl Rising Fellow who dreams of helping people feel seen in a world that can feel invisible. She’s fascinated by stories, small acts of kindness, and the quiet ways people leave marks on each other’s lives. She can’t wait to create, explore, and cheer on her fellow Fellows on her mission to find her spark.

Sravya
USA

Girl Rising is thrilled to have Yesui as part of the Fellowship programme!

Yesui Boldsuren
Mongolia

Agnila became a Girl Rising Fellow because she believes knowledge should not sit behind closed doors or textbooks. She uses both science and storytelling to reach the girls whose questions have long been ignored, and whose curiosity was taught to wait.

Agnila
Bangladesh

Amruta became a Girl Rising Fellow because she wants to use her passion for medicine and gender equity to improve women’s and girls’ access to education and healthcare. She hopes to combine scientific insight with advocacy to build healthier, more informed communities with access to health information and education

Amruta
USA

Ayrah became a Girl Rising Fellow because she wants to bring about a change in her community and be there for the girls around her. She loves writing and art.

Ayrah
Pakistan

Girl Rising is thrilled to have Edmies as part of the Fellowship programme!

Edmies
Nigeria

Joy became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is a passionate advocate for girl child education and leadership.
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Joy Life
Nigeria

Kathryn became a Girl Rising Fellow because she refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice. She recognizes that her voice carries power, not only for herself but for those who came before her and for those alongside her today who are silenced. As an aspiring women’s rights activist, Kathryn is determined to spark change and help create a world where every woman and girl can thrive.

Kathryn Huber
USA

Mahsheed became a Girl Rising Fellow because she believes that even a single thought, a single drawing, or a single story can spark change. She loves exploring ideas, painting emotions, and reading worlds that teach her how small actions can create ripples of hope.

Mahsheed
Afghanistan

Namono became a Girl Rising Fellow because she desires a platform to empower other girls with leadership skills and speaking out their minds

Namono Esther
Uganda

Queen became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is passionate about girlhood and wants to work tirelessly to make the world a better place for girls. She loves storytelling in all its forms and aspires to contribute to these spaces through the stories she tells.

Queen
Nigeria

Saide became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is passionate about empowering young people through education, technology, and social impact. She is especially interested in creating equal opportunities in STEM and hopes to build projects that inspire girls to become future leaders.

Saide
Turkey

Tanya became a Girl Rising Fellow because she is insanely passionate about feminism.
Her hobbies include reading, poetry, watching movies, and swimming!

Tanya
India
