about us

Our vision is to live in a world where cultural and gender inequality no longer exists; a world where every young woman feels safe to step into her true power and be her own hero.

we are ethni

We provide safe and empowering spaces for young women to learn, grow, connect and thrive.

We believe that the road towards cultural and gender equality starts with uplifting young women. So, Ethni creates opportunities for young women from diverse cultural backgrounds to embrace their stories, build deep connections, navigate life’s ups and downs, and drive change in their communities.

We’re not here to save anybody. Our young women are passionate, resilient, and brave; they are committed to shaping their own future and being their own hero.

At Ethni, our role is to equip young women with valuable skills to help them navigate life’s challenges, their way. We respect their individual journeys and we’re there by their side if and when they need us - for the long haul.

For young women

For Supporters

FOR SCHOOLS

What makes us different

Truly Youth Led

Young women are the backbone of Ethni. They have created the vision and drive it forward everyday. 95% of our team are young women of colour aged between 15 and 25. Our community are also represented on our Board to ensure they are leading the way. Our sisterhood are co-creating, leading programs and facilitating discussions that are having a real impact to drive social change.

Reciprocal Partnerships

We value collaboration and work with every partner towards a shared vision. Positive benefits from our partnerships flow directly to young women, but also to the organisation. We focus on peer to peer learning and ensuring our young women’s voices are amplified in every conversation. It’s a dialogue, a discussion, and the way forward.

Holistic Approach

We provide services that cover the full life experience of young women; from menstruation to mental health, from family violence to career support, we’re here to tailor what support every individual needs, no matter what she’s going through. We are a constant presence in her life and here for the long haul.

our team

Kim Rollason-Nokes
Founder/CEO | New Zealand

Nasteho Mukhtar
Senior Facilitator + Support Worker | Somalia

Elizabeth Thomas
Marketing + Finance Assistant | India

Miriel Nyange
Program Coordinator | Congo

our story.

Founded in 2017 by Kim Rollason-Nokes, Ethni began as a social enterprise that provided support and meaningful training and employment opportunities for young women from culturally diverse backgrounds.

In 2019, we officially transitioned to a non-profit organisation, grew the team, and brought on a Board featuring youth representatives that would reflect the voices of young women.

Even though we had supported young women to gain part and full-time jobs, we noticed they still wanted to stay involved with Ethni. When asked why, they said it was because Ethni was a place where they had a voice and felt heard.

This insight was the catalyst for us to reimagine the future of Ethni.

In that moment, we realised we had created much more than training and employment opportunities—we’d created a powerful sisterhood.

Ethni had naturally evolved into a hub where intelligent and determined young women could feel safe to share stories, dream bigger, and drive meaningful change in their communities together.

In early 2020, with a new sense of purpose, we launched a range of programs that would support young women and equip them with the tools they need to thrive across a broad range of life situations. In the words of the sisterhood, we provide the tools they need to “do life”.