named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Champions
Mobile application for facilitators to lead community discussions on health topics, track impact, and connect participants to vetted service providers; works offline in multiple languages across Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya.
INUA Health
Digital health platform with AI-powered companions (Big Sis, WAZZIl, Bol Behen) that provide accurate, localized health information and connect young people to services in South Africa, Kenya, and India.
Locally Rooted Branded Communications
Media and content strategy using TV, music, magazines, and digital channels to spark conversations and shift social norms around girls' health, education, and livelihoods.
Technology Enabled Girl Ambassadors (TEGAs)
Peer-to-peer research program where trained girl researchers collect insights from their peers using a mobile platform, providing contextually relevant data to inform program design.
Transforming Systems to Work for Her
Partnership initiative with governments and organizations to integrate Girl Effect’s tools and approaches into existing health and education systems.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Design and evaluate initiatives to amplify youth voices and challenge gender normsDesigns, creates, and evaluates initiatives that amplify youth voices, challenge gender norms, and create impact in health, education, and economic livelihoods through media, technology, and community engagement.
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24/7 Crisis and Warmline Support Services 1 activity
- Detect and respond to sensitive disclosures from young peopleOperates a system that identifies sensitive disclosures from young people through digital platforms and connects them with emergency services and relevant support systems to ensure safety and access to care.
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Community Health Equity Initiatives 1 activity
- Mobilize caregivers to support early childhood vaccinationMobilizes parents and caregivers in remote communities to ensure timely vaccination of children under two through community outreach and engagement efforts.
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Reproductive Health Access and Support Services 1 activity
- Provide comprehensive health information and services to adolescent girls and young womenProvides essential health information and linkages to services covering immunization, mental health, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and early childhood development for adolescent girls and young women, with a focus on expanding access to HPV vaccines through community engagement and partnerships with government entities.
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Girls' Mentorship and Leadership Development 1 activity
- Support education, economic empowerment, and life skills developmentSupports adolescent girls and young women to overcome barriers to education and expand their perceived life possibilities, while equipping them with skills to identify and apply for secure, dignified employment, pursue entrepreneurship, and connect with mentors.
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Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
- Support responsive caregiving among young parentsProvides support and resources to young parents and caregivers to practice responsive caregiving for their children, enhancing early childhood development outcomes.
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Uncategorized 4 activities
- Conduct mobile-based peer-to-peer research with adolescent girlsTrains and supports girl researchers to conduct over 25,000 peer interviews across 8 countries in 25 languages using a mobile research platform that functions in low-connectivity areas and collects audio, video, and images to gather data from respondents of all literacy levels.
- Deliver community health and empowerment programs via the Champions mobile appUses the offline-capable Champions mobile app to equip facilitators in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria with session agendas, training materials, and multimedia resources to conduct community discussions on health, education, and economic empowerment. The app supports data collection, reporting, and pre- and post-session assessments in multiple local languages including Swahili, Amharic, Somali, and English.
- Develop and apply gender-transformative research methodologiesConducted foundational research including the world’s first comprehensive study on adolescent girls’ mobile phone access and usage (“Real girls, real lives, connected”) with the Vodafone Foundation, and used peer-to-peer research methods with Oxfam and the Gates Foundation to generate insights about girls. Developed a Theory of Change centered on girls as active agents of transformation.
- Operate AI-powered chat companions for health information and service linkageOperates AI chat companions in South Africa, Kenya, and India that answer young people's health questions and connect them to essential health services, having responded to over 35 million messages and questions. The platforms include voice hotlines, mobile apps, and media content tailored to adolescent girls and young women.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.39M
Contributions & grants$3.20M94%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$189K6%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$7.02M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$1.04M
Grants paid out$5.40M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.85M
Cash$1.84M
Investments$0
Liabilities$43K
Net assets$2.81M
Liquid reserves3.1 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +11.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JESSICA ODEDE | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $450K |
| JONATHAN MCKAY | CHIEF PRODUCT INNOVATION OFFICER | 40 | $132K |
board members · 12
- ALEX KURVILLA — DIRECTOR
- ALEXANDRA MORGAN — DIRECTOR
- EDITH JIBUNOH — DIRECTOR
- ERIN HOHLFELDER — DIRECTOR
- JIM CITRIN — DIRECTOR
- JONATHAN NEWHOUSE — CHAIR
- JORGE CASIMIRO — DIRECTOR
- JULIANA ROTICH — DIRECTOR
- NATASHA POONAWALLA — DIRECTOR
- NINA KJELLSON — TREASURER
- REBECCA OPPENHEIMER — DIRECTOR
- SALMA HAYEK PINAULT — DIRECTOR
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- Big Sis Partner — AI companion persona for INUA Health in South Africa
- Bol Behen Partner — AI companion persona for INUA Health in India
- Champions Partner — Mobile app used to connect health workers with tools and resources to support community health initiatives in Tanzania.
- Children's Investment Fund Foundation Partner — Partnered in India to improve girls' sexual and reproductive health.
- Dove Self Esteem Project Partner — Worked with to improve girls' self-esteem in Indonesia.
- Gates Foundation Partner — Partnered on innovative peer-to-peer research methodologies.
- Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Partner — Partnered to inspire and support girls to get the HPV vaccine in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, and Rwanda.
- Government ministries Partner — Collaborates with government ministries to co-create content and enhance on-the-ground interventions using the Champions app.
- Nutrition International Partner — Collaborated in Indonesia to help girls make healthy choices.
- Oxfam Partner — Collaborated on peer-to-peer research initiatives.
- Unilever Partner — Partnered with the Dove Self Esteem Project to improve girls' self-esteem in Indonesia.
- Vodafone Foundation Partner — Conducted the ‘Real girls, real lives, connected’ study on adolescent girls’ mobile phone access and usage.
- WAZZIl Partner — AI companion persona for INUA Health in Kenya
- community-based organizations Partner — Partners with community-based organizations to co-create culturally relevant content and strengthen local interventions through the Champions app.
- government Partner — Collaborates with government entities to increase access to HPV vaccines for adolescent girls.
- respected local research organizations Partner — Partners with local research organizations to collect independent data for program evaluation.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Co-Design with Girls and Communitiesmethodology: co-design_with_usersBy co-designing programs and technologies with girls, young people, and local communities, we create culturally relevant and user-centered interventions that are more effective and sustainable because they are grounded in lived experience and local context.
- Human-in-the-Loop AI for Trusted Youth Supportmethodology: human-in-the-loopBy combining AI chat companions with trained human operators, we ensure safe, accurate, and personalized support for young people, because human oversight enables triage, builds trust, and connects users to essential health services when needed.
- Integrated, Holistic Approach to Adolescent Healthmethodology: integrated_health_approachBy addressing interconnected health domains—such as sexual and reproductive health, mental health, nutrition, and immunization—within a single framework, we improve overall well-being because adolescent health challenges are systemic and mutually reinforcing.
- Knowledge as a Foundation for Choice and Agencymethodology: knowledge_for_choiceBy providing girls with accurate, accessible knowledge, we expand their life choices and enable informed decision-making because information is a prerequisite for autonomy and long-term thriving.
- Peer-Led Research and Interpretationmethodology: peer-to-peer_researchBy employing peer researchers who share lived experiences and cultural backgrounds with respondents, we reduce power imbalances and generate more authentic, accurate insights because shared understanding fosters trust and deeper engagement.