A partnership between the National Museums of kenya and Minneapolis Institute of Art Partnership awarded Museum Connect Grant from U.S Department of State,American Alliance of Museums Girls Design the World The National Museums of Kenya(NMK),Nairobi and the Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minnesota(MIA) partnered in January 2016 to build a cross-cultural exchange and stimulate dialogue around youth empowerment,environmental stability and social inclusion. The program called “Girls Design the World: Supporting Green Communities with STEAM”- is part of Museums Connect, a joint initiative of the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of education and Cultural Affairs and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM),STEAM stands for science,technology, engineering, art and math. Participating students from Nairobi and Minneapolis researched on environmental challenges in their cities and addressed these challenges through a process of design thinking, a tool for brainstorming and prototyping creative solutions to practical problems.Their results will be exhibited at the Nairobi National Museum from 1st to 30th April 2016 at the Cultural Dynamism Gallery. The 22 participants for the project were drawn from five girls high schools in Nairobi.The selection was based on their interest in science, technology, engineering, art and math.The girls interviewed community members to understand their needs.Through this process,the girls were able to identify the challenges for which they designed solutions.The young women participants in the Minneapolis and Nairobi projects were guided by artists,designers,environmentalists as they identified and designed their prototypes using a host of art and found materials. In March and April 2016,five girls from each city will do exchange visits to see each others exhibitions and meet their counterparts in person. The students will tour studios and labs of the role models involved as well as environmental organizations and cultural institutions in Nairobi and Minneapolis. For more information visit our website: www.girlsdesigntheworld.org