Elena Ferrante would be proud of this girls-only group in Kerala

Zahra Isham was only 21 when she moved from Kannur to Kochi with her eight-month-old toddler. The city has a lot going for it. It’s packed with opportunities, culture, great food, and a buzz that’s hard to ignore. But if you’re new here, it can feel overwhelming too soon. It did to Isham. She felt anonymous in the bustling city where she knew no one. She was also deep in the throes of motherhood, navigating all its complexities.

Elsewhere in the city, English communication coach Lina Saleem determinedly scoured platforms like Reddit for like-minded friends who shared her interests in things like crocheting. She ultimately abandoned the exercise as it all felt too “sketchy”. She had moved in from Palakkad, and the only person she knew in town was her husband.

But last year, the algorithm gods intervened. Sometime in December, the women chanced upon an Instagram Reel about the first meet-up of the newly launched Girls for Girls community group. The group, which calls itself “Kerala’s first girls-only community”, organises a mix of online and in-person activities—masquerade parties, aqua Zumba classes, health workshops, game nights, colour walks, mother-toddler programmes...you name it.

Saleem signed up for the launch party. The attendees—most of them meeting for the first time—clicked instantly over conversations. For her, it was “the most wholesome event” she had attended in a long time. Isham, too, turned up at several of these meet-ups, including a Bridgerton-themed masquerade party. More than the event, she enjoyed taking the time out to dress up. “People used to ask me to dress ‘like a mother of two’, but here they appreciated me for my style,” recalls Isham. “They are so kind, warm, and welcoming.”

Isham’s and Saleems’s paths finally crossed at a doughnut-making workshop, and they bonded instantly. “It was really nice to find someone I could relate to so well,” says Saleem, who now heads the community’s arts and crafts club.

Girls for Girls is the brainchild of 22-year-old Navami Soman. Soman grew up in Kochi, the youngest of a close-knit group of female cousins. She missed them terribly when they left the city for work or studies. “I was surprised when most people couldn’t relate to our bond. I realised the value of sisterhood and female friendships,” she says. That’s when she decided to build a community centred on female friendships and safe spaces. Something Kerala, sometimes, does not offer to its women.

The state juggles twin personalities. It’s progressive yet patriarchal, and judgement-free spaces where women can be their unabashed selves without worrying about the decibels of their conversations or the depth of their necklines remain few and far between. To women away from home and drowning in loneliness, Girls for Girls felt like a lifeboat.

Today, Girls for Girls is split into clubs that cater to specific interests. There’s arts and crafts, travel, and dance. Each club organises its individual events. Each event or activity is priced individually, typically ranging from ₹500 to ₹1,000, with limited spots. New events are announced via the Instagram page and WhatsApp community. As of two days ago, a limited number of Girls for Girls founding memberships have also been opened.

And tying them all together are Whatsapp groups, which include spaces like ‘advise and support’ and ‘safe space convos’. Members confide in each other and are protected by rules like no bullying and no screenshots.

The community now has chapters in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kottayam. When a new chapter is launched, Soman puts out a call on Instagram for women to step up as city leads. She appoints them, helps build the local team, and they take over the day-to-day running of the chapter.

College friends turned office colleagues Hiba Shabu and Sikha Sreekumar head the community’s Thiruvananthapuram chapter. The state’s capital city is often, unfairly, viewed as Kochi's staid cousin—for those unfamiliar with these dynamics, the ‘Thiruvananthapuram vs Kochi’ debate is Kerala’s equivalent of the Mumbai-Delhi one-upmanship.

“I felt that Thiruvananthapuram needed a community like this because many people struggle to get out of their comfort zones,” says Shabu. “We have a good crowd too; it’s just that they haven’t been given the right opportunity and space.” The chapter was launched in February this year with a Galentine’s Day-themed flower-making workshop, and they have hosted around 13 events since then, from Iftars and Vishu celebrations to career guidance sessions, book walks, dance workshops, and crocheting. At least 10 to 15 women turn up at each of these meet-ups

While the format stays the same, the activities are tailored to what members in each city enjoy. Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, for instance, hosted masquerade parties. But the aqua Zumba party? That was a Kochi exclusive. Today, across the multiple chapters, the total number of members has crossed 2,000. (With the Bengaluru chapter up for a revamp and a Chennai edition about to launch, the number is likely to go up.)

It’s not all fun and games, though. It’s about creating safe spaces, supporting each other, and building genuine friendships. “One woman joined our meet-ups after losing her son and struggling with grief. She was withdrawn at first, but slowly began opening up to members, forming genuine friendships and rebuilding her confidence. Our community didn’t take away her grief—that was never the goal—but it reminded her that she didn’t have to carry it alone. Today, she’s one of our most active members, offering the same support to other women navigating difficult times,” shares Soman.

As Soman says the Girls for Girls community is not perfect and that they have had their share of teething issues, but these are the kind of stories that make them want to work harder and keep going.