One Girl Can Society

One Girl Can is a registered charitable organization in both Canada and Kenya dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty and achieving gender equality through education, mentorship, and training. Founded in 2008 and formally registered as a charity in 2014, One Girl Can has spent over 15 years empowering girls in Kenya to rise above barriers and realize their potential through a holistic model that supports them from high school through university and into meaningful employment.

Our mission is simple but powerful: to equip high-potential, underserved girls with the tools, confidence, and opportunities to achieve financial independence and transform their lives, their families, and their communities. Our vision is for every One Girl Can graduate to earn a meaningful living.

At the heart of our work is our Cycle of Empowerment — a continuum of support that begins when a girl enters secondary school and continues as she becomes an educated, employed, and empowered woman who, in turn, gives back to her community. Through this cycle, our students become role models and mentors for the next generation, creating a ripple effect of opportunity and leadership.

Our model is built on three interconnected pillars:

• We Educate: We identify the most vulnerable, high-potential girls and provide scholarships to access secondary and university education. Education is the first step in transforming a girl’s life and unlocking her potential.
• We Train: Through our Empower Me workshops, university conferences, and entrepreneurship training (co-developed with the Sauder School of Business), we equip girls with the life, leadership, and employability skills needed to succeed beyond the classroom.
• We Mentor: We match graduates with professionals for one-on-one and peer mentorship, helping them navigate their career paths and personal growth. Many of our alumni return to mentor younger girls — completing the Cycle of Empowerment.

Since 2019, One Girl Can has expanded its programmatic work in Kenya to include leadership and life-skills training, mentorship programming, and career development initiatives that bridge the gap between education and employment. In 2025, we launched the Opening Doors Mentorship Program in partnership with the Opening Doors Foundation to help university graduates navigate their transition into the workforce.

Most recently, One Girl Can hosted the inaugural “I LEARN FROM HER” Conference & Gala in Nairobi, gathering over 200 graduates, mentors, and industry professionals for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration. The event marked the beginning of a new chapter in our commitment to build pathways from education to employment for our students and alumni.

Looking ahead, our priorities include:

• Increasing access to high school and university education through our scholarship program
• Scaling the Empower Me workshops to all partner schools across Kenya
• Expanding mentorship opportunities and professional networks through alumni engagement
• Strengthening partnerships with corporate and foundation partners to create internships, apprenticeships, and employment pathways for graduates.
• Strengthen alumni engagement to sustain the Cycle of Empowerment and ensure each generation uplifts the next

Through this enduring cycle, One Girl Can continues to prove that when girls are given the opportunity to learn, train, and lead, they not only change their own lives — they change the world around them.