There are moments that shape us, moments that open our eyes, break our hearts, and ignite a fire that cannot be extinguished. My advocacy for girls’ education, Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) education, and Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention was not born out of theory or training; it was born out of the lived realities of girls in Kisumu, Kenya, realities I witnessed up close as an educator and community advocate.

In Kisumu, many girls face challenges that no child should ever carry. I met girls who walked to school in fear because the journey itself was unsafe. Girls who silently endured sexual violence and harassment. Girls whose dreams were derailed by teenage pregnancies, stigma, or lack of support. Girls who missed school simply because they could not afford sanitary pads. Girls who struggled with emotional trauma, low self-esteem, and a society where deeply rooted gender norms continue to tell girls—explicitly and implicitly—that they matter less.

I saw the pain in their eyes, not just from what had happened to them, but from the way they had been taught to internalise it.

These realities are not isolated. They are shared wounds within the community:

“Maybe it’s my fault…”
“Maybe I don’t matter…”
“Maybe I should keep quiet…”

These words that echoed in my classroom were not just words. They were shared wounds.

And it was in these moments, listening, observing, and carrying the weight of their unspoken stories, that our purpose became clear. I knew I wanted to do more than teach. I wanted to advocate, to elevate, and to co-create environments where girls feel safe, confident, and empowered. We wanted to reclaim our voices in spaces that had silenced them for far too long. We envisioned supportive ecosystems where girls would not merely survive, but truly thrive.

This is where our journey began.

This shared commitment gave birth to the She Thrives project and continues to fuel our work alongside countless girls, families, educators, and communities whose stories inspire and strengthen us every day.

The classroom: Where my advocacy took root

As an educator with Teach For Kenya, I quickly realised that teaching is more than lessons and timetables; it is about nurturing identity, confidence, and purpose. In Kisumu East, I met countless girls navigating poverty, gender norms, emotional burdens, and dangers that threatened their ability to stay in school.

The classroom became their sanctuary.
A place to breathe.
A place to talk.
A place to be seen.

Over time, we realised that what we were witnessing wasn’t unique to our class; it was happening across the entire school. Girls from different classes were carrying the same silent worries, the same unanswered questions, and the same unspoken struggles. Seeing this made it impossible to continue working in isolation.With the input of my students and peer teacher, we co-created lessons on self-esteem, consent, mental health, leadership, and bodily autonomy and integrated them into everyday learning.

Creating this project became a way of reaching all of them, of building something bigger than just one classroom, something that offered every girl in the school a place to feel seen, heard, and supported. It was the only way to make sure no girl in the school felt alone, and that each one had the chance to truly thrive

This is where I fully understood:
Education is not complete without empowerment.
And empowerment is not complete without collective safety.

She Thrives: A collective movement of courage, healing, and hope

During my work with the Let Girls Thrive Program of Teach For Kenya, the She Thrives project was born out of urgency, a response to the overwhelming need for girls to be protected, supported, informed, and heard. She Thrives aims to create safe and supportive environments for girls to thrive by addressing the interconnected challenges of Gender Based Violence, teenage pregnancy, and HIV and AIDs that girls face through advocacy, capacity building, education, and community engagement.

One of the project’s key milestones has been the training of over 45 peer mentors at Nyamasaria Primary School. These girls, once navigating adolescence with uncertainty and self-doubt, now lead conversations on GBV prevention, SRH education, and emotional well-being among their peers. Their transformation into confident advocates highlights a powerful truth: investing in girls strengthens entire communities and creates generational impact.

Beyond peer mentorship, She Thrives has provided psychosocial support to girls who have experienced SGBV through guided therapy sessions, helping them heal and reclaim their confidence. We have also worked closely with teachers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and respond to GBV in schools, ensuring that protective and supportive environments are extended to all learners.

Engaging parents and communities: Because empowerment must be collective

No girl can thrive alone. In order for girls to fulfil their potential, they require support at home, in school, and within the wider community.

Through She Thrives, we have facilitated parent engagement forums which reached over 30 parents that created safe spaces for honest dialogue. Together, we explored topics such as.

• How to prevent and respond to GBV

• How to support girls’ education

• How to break the silence around SRH

• How to build emotionally safe homes

• How to be allies in their daughters’ journeys

These conversations are not always easy, but they are necessary, and they have sparked a powerful shift. Parents who once held rigid beliefs now speak openly about protection, mental health, equality, and dignity.

When homes change, girls flourish.
When communities are engaged and co-create solutions together, the future transforms.

Next steps: strengthening and expanding collective impact

The next chapter of the She Thrives Project focuses on deepening impact and expanding reach. The project is being integrated into the Great Ladies Organisation as a fully-fledged program, strengthening its foundation for long-term sustainability.

Through targeted fundraising and partnerships, the vision is to reach more girls, establish an Economic Empowerment Hub in Kisumu, and create safe spaces in schools—places where girls can learn, heal, build confidence, and truly thrive.

This work continues because it belongs to the community. And when communities commit to their girls, transformation becomes inevitable.