Over 7,000 teenage girls attend SKY Festival 2025 in Nairobi

More than 7,000 teenage girls from Nairobi and its environs gathered at Moi International Stadium Kasarani this past weekend for ‘SKY FEST 2025’ event themed ‘True to Me’. Aptly timed, ahead of International Women’s Day this was the largest teen girls’ empowerment event in the country.

With encouragement and support from local schools, girls gathered for a day dedicated to driving positive behavioral change, inspired peer action and owning the right to make better, more informed life choices. Key performances by girl favourites Brandy Maina, Lil Maina, Amina Rabar as well as TikTokers Klaus and Nasieku. There were activities galore for the girls to engage in from entertainment to sport including self-defense (all focused on giving girls the chance to own their best self).

(TOP: Lil Maina performing during the SKY FEST 2025’ event themed ‘True to Me’ that attracted more than 7,000 teenage girls from Nairobi and its environs at Moi International Stadium Kasarani).

Speaking of the event, Svetlana Polikarpova, Director of SKY Girls Kenya Initiative, emphasized that: “SKY FEST 2025 surpassed all expectations of previous events. Girls came excited to experience a safe positive environment, to connect with each other, learn and grow. The support we have received from parents, schools and communities has been incredible – they see the immeasurable value this brings to their girls. The energy at Kasarani was electric, and it’s clear when girls come together, they shine even brighter”.

This year’s attendance saw an increase from 2023 where 6200 girls attended. Additionally, this year for the first time the festival will take place in Kisumu on April 12, 2025.
So much more than just a one day festival

The SKY Girls initiative builds young girls up beyond just a one-day event. The program partners with organizations like the Ministry of Education, UNICEF, LVCT, and the DREAMS program to provide year-round support for girls. This includes collaborating with the Africa Cancer Foundation, UNICEF, and First Lady Dorothy Nyong’o on the HPV vaccine drive. And the stats reflect the power of collaboration:

• 62% of SKY Girls confidently resisting peer pressure, proving the power of peer to peer learning.
• A 54% decrease in adolescent cigarette usage, reinforcing the program’s role in preventing tobacco product uptake.
• A 67% increase in girls’ ability to stand up for themselves, showing the tangible impact of SKY Girls in boosting self-confidence.

The key to SKY’s success? By creating content with them, the program helps teens make informed decisions about their bodies, their health, and their futures, addressing critical issues like early pregnancy, cervical cancer, and smoking. Through the magazine, digital shows and series, SKY has a far greater impact and reach into the hearts of communities across the country.

First launched in 2014 in Botswana, SKY Girls is a multimedia empowerment programme for adolescent girls, active in five African countries. In Kenya, SKY Girls Initiative first started in 2020 as a girl empowerment and tobacco prevention initiative, and later in 2022 expanded to address issues like HIV prevention and gender equality.

SKY Girls maintains a strong network, distributing over 950,000 magazines, garnering nearly 50 million views of their dramas online and on TV, connecting with 440,000 girls annually in person, and boasting an over 260,000 online community, building a thriving sisterhood where they’re empowered to stay true to themselves and resist peer pressure.