Keeping Girls in Class, One Dance Step at a Time: the Change For Girls Initiative
One conversation, one dance and one safe space at a time, the lives of girls are being transformed. The Change for Girls Initiative, founded by Lillian Nkonge in March 2024, is on a mission to keep more girls in school by addressing the social, mental, and economic challenges that often lead them to drop out. The
initiative is particularly focused on girls from under-resourced and rural areas, and it aims to support 300 girls through school by 2028 by creating safe, girl-centered spaces and sustainable solutions to education access.
On Saturday, 26th July 2025, the initiative brought its impactful Dance 2 Educate program to Materi Girls High School in Tharaka-Nithi County. This unique mentorship event took a creative approach, using dance, fitness, and storytelling to open up conversations around mental health and self-esteem. The goal was simple but powerful: to give the girls a space where they felt seen, heard, and free to express what they’re going through.
The session was guided by school alumni, peer counsellors, the school’s guidance counsellor, and mental health advocates who also doubled as the dancers. These advocates were brought in through key partners including Jamii Vibes, Dance Klan, Brachuze Dance Agency, Katika Dance Fitness, and many others, whose presence brought both energy and emotional safety. Their relatability made it easier for the students to connect.
After an energetic fitness and dance session, the girls broke into small groups where they were encouraged to talk openly about their emotional well-being. Many spoke courageously about struggles they had been silently carrying, ranging from pressure to perform, to stress, anxiety, and family-related challenges. What stood out was the strength in vulnerability, and how safe, creative environments can unlock deeply personal, often unspoken experiences.
The initiative’s founder, Lillian Nkonge, is a woman of many hats one of them being, a policy and programming expert in sexual and reproductive health across Africa. Her vision for Change for Girls was inspired by years of working with youth in community and health spaces, witnessing the complex barriers that prevent girls from reaching their full potential.
Since launching the initiative in 2024, she and her team have hosted the Dance 2 educate mentorship programs in Greenland Girls Highschool in Kajiado and now in Materi Girls in Tharaka-Nithi, with the next public event scheduled to take place at Carnivore Grounds, Nairobi on 8th August 2025. (For more information on this, click HERE)
Parents Africa was proud to be part of this transformative event. As a platform that cares deeply about the wellness of families and youth, we joined the initiative to amplify the voices of girls and to add a parental perspective to the conversation. Our presence allowed us to document the day and highlight the power of mentorship, community, and safe spaces in promoting youth wellness and resilience.
Change for Girls is more than just a nonprofit, it is a growing movement rooted in empathy, lived experience, and actionable hope. By combining mentorship, creativity, and meaningful engagement, the initiative is giving girls the tools they need not just to survive school, but to thrive.
