Dear Colleagues,
Last week, Rise Up released an impact report commemorating our 15 years of advancing gender equity and justice—which is both a celebration and a call to action for all of us to hear, support, and amplify visionary local leadership.
Over the past 15 years, we have discovered a proven formula to improve education, health, and economic opportunity—finding local leaders with lived experience, providing them with advocacy and leadership training, investing in their solutions through grant funding and technical assistance, and connecting them to a global movement. We are proud to share that our global network of 800+ leaders have improved the lives of 172 million people.
For example, as the Executive Director of Girls Empowerment Network, Rise Up Leader Faith Phiri led a grassroots network of young women advocates, including activist Memory Banda, to advocate for the passage of landmark legislation banning child marriage, protecting the rights of 4 million girls in her country.
Looking forward, we are more determined than ever to support the true experts—local leaders and their organizations—to stand up for the rights of girls, women, and gender-nonconforming people.
We hope our impact report inspires you to take action and, together, we will continue our work toward an equitable world.
In Solidarity, Dr. Denise Raquel Dunning & Josie Ramos
Rise Up
Co-founders