Nairobi, Monday 13th October 2026; Equity Group yesterday joined Global Give Back Circle, mentors, business leaders, development partners and young women from across Kenya at the JW Marriott, Nairobi, in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child. The event also celebrated twenty years of Global Give Back Circle's work educating, mentoring and economically empowering marginalised girls and young women.d the world

The event, sponsored by Equity, featured internationally acclaimed personal finance expert and best-selling author Suze Orman. It also featured a panel discussion on mentorship and women's economic empowerment moderated by Dr. Julie Gichuru, renowned media personality, and Founder, President and CEO of the Africa Leadership and Dialogue Institute. The panelists were Hope Murera, Managing Director and Group CEO of ZEP-RE and a Global Give Back Circle Board Member, and Reeta Roy, former President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

Reflecting on Global Give Back Circle's two-decade journey, Founder and CEO Linda Latsko Lockhart credited the organisation's growth to the partners who believed in its mission from the start.

"This has been a journey of impact. We started with ten Form Two girls, and twenty years later, more than 6,000 girls and young women have gone through some form of workforce training with us, and over 2,700 of them have gone through university," said Ms. Lockhart. "Many of those women are in this room today, and they are here because you gave them a chance. I did not do this alone."

What began as a mentorship initiative for ten girls has evolved into a broader model connecting education, mentorship, market-relevant skills, financial inclusion, and pathways to dignified work. Working with grassroots organizations and partners across sectors, Global Give Back Circle continues to develop and scale solutions that enable young women to achieve economic independence and create opportunities for others.

She singled out Equity as Global Give Back Circle's first-ever partner. "I would like to thank our very first partner, Equity Group, and Dr. James Mwangi. If you want to be a true partner from the private sector, your employees must be engaged. From the very beginning, Equity committed to mentorship, scholarships and job opportunities for our girls. Equity has raised the bar very high."

Dr. Gladys Munuve, Chief of Programs Kenya at Global Give Back Circle, echoed the role of partnership in Global Give Back Circle's work. "I am pleased to be with you today as we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child and twenty years of impact by Global Give Back Circle," she said. "We have been fortunate to have great partners such as Equity Group and Mastercard Foundation. Through the HER Lab programme, we continue to support young women to turn skills into dignified work and sustainable livelihoods."

Speaking on behalf of Equity Group Managing Director and CEO Dr. James Mwangi, Amb. Mary Mugwanja, Equity Bank Kenya, Associate Director - Public Sector & Institutional Banking said that unlocking the potential of Africa's women and girls requires more than access to a bank account.

"Talent is everywhere; opportunity is not. Opportunity is built step by step, and one of the very first steps is a bank account in her own name," said Amb. Mugwanja. "But financial inclusion is the starting line, not the finish line. An account that is opened and never used is a statistic, not a transformation. What changes lives is what happens after: the habit of saving, the confidence to make financial decisions, the skills to run a business and, eventually, the credit to grow."

As part of its partnership with Global Give Back Circle, Equity is supporting approximately 100 young Maasai women and refugees in Kajiado County to open their first bank accounts. Equity will work with Global Give Back Circle to help the women build savings, strengthen their cooperative and, as their enterprises grow, link them to Fanikisha, which supports women-led enterprises through every step of their journey.

Amb. Mugwanja also called on the non-governmental organisations present to deepen collaboration with the private sector. "Women's economic empowerment is an ecosystem challenge, and it requires an ecosystem response. At Equity, we see NGOs not simply as clients, but as partners in development, so that when a programme cycle ends, the women it served still have a financial home that grows with them."

The panel discussion explored how mentorship, networks and financial confidence shape young women's journeys from education to economic independence.

"When I first met Linda, I was mesmerised by the work she was doing," said Reeta Roy. "Everyone in this room has something to give. You build trust in mentorship by being willing to share and to give your time. I was a beneficiary of mentorship myself. Someone believed in me, and that belief continues to inspire me."

Hope Murera described mentorship as a relationship that enriches both sides. "Mentorship is not a one-way street. It brings satisfaction to both the mentor and the mentee, and every young woman you walk with teaches you something in return."

In her keynote, Ms. Orman urged the young women to put their own financial security first. "Women can be incredible at making money, but too often we make it for the benefit of others and not ourselves," she said. "Whether you are an entrepreneur or a mother, if you want to raise strong children, you must first understand your own value. I did not come from a well-off background. I am here today because I learnt to give to myself. You owe it to yourself, because your self-worth equates to your net worth."

As Global Give Back Circle looks to its next chapter, the organization called on business leaders, philanthropists, and institutions to help expand opportunities for girls and young women through mentorship, scholarships, skills training, employment pathways, seed funding, and market access for women-led enterprises. It also invited direct partnerships to innovate, adapt, and scale solutions that advance women's economic independence across Africa.

The International Day of the Girl Child, marked every year on 11th October, was declared by the United Nations to recognise girls' rights and the unique challenges they face around the world