Rural leaders live in hard-to-reach places, are under-resourced, and receive less access to training. Rise Up is excited to support Rwandan trainers as they carry the 3-year training program they graduated from to Rwanda's Eastern and Northern provinces. Fourteen women completed a 3-year leadership development and were selected to continue with a 1-year training program to become Trainers of Trainers (TOT). These TOTs have begun facilitating the 3-year leadership development program with 100 community and church leaders. The training includes topics in leadership principles and practices, mentoring, theology and faith, trauma awareness and recovery, women’s realities, health, HIV/Aids, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, community development, and economic empowerment. A donation of $100 will cover the cost of one leader participating in a 3-day training workshop in either the Eastern or Northern province. Rise Up is collaborating with ALARM-Rwanda (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries).

The Burera Farm Initiative is located on 5 acres of land. It is focused on transforming the community through training small farmers and community members in mixed farming techniques and pig rearing. Michelle, ALARM’s agronomist, has already trained hundreds of small farmers in improved agricultural practices and distributed piglets to families to help address poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition. The project promises self-sustainability through the pass-forward approach. Once a pig matures and reproduces, one piglet will be given back to ALARM, and two piglets will be given to families in need. The remaining pigs will remain with the family and may be used for income through sales, food, and manure for their small farm. A donation of $150 helps provide medicine and vaccinations for the pigs and salaries for the day laborers. Rise Up is collaborating with ALARM-Rwanda for this initiative.

The most vulnerable are often left unable to seek legal aid. That’s why we are partnering with 25 lawyers in the Northern Province. These lawyers are driven to come alongside vulnerable women and children through mediation and legal representation. Each lawyer is certified in mediation and ready to start a mobile legal clinic in three locations. Why mediation? Mediation is preferred over litigation because it resolves the conflict and provides the foundation for restorative justice. Mediation puts the power in the hands of the parties to work towards mutually agreed upon reparations, forgiveness, and reconciliation. With mediation, reconciliation, and peace are more likely. Rise Up is collaborating with ALARM-Rwanda for this initiative.

Church and community leaders from the Northern Province of Rwanda are being trained in trauma awareness and recovery processes to create trauma response teams. The first phase was completed in 2023 when we brought together 60 pastors and church leaders for a three-day training course on trauma and its effect on individuals and communities. Phase II focuses on deepening the work with the 60 pastors and church leaders and broadens the scope to include 25 lawyers, 25 field partners, and 30 Bureau of Counselors. This builds the capacity for those on the frontline to be better equipped in trauma awareness and recovery as they serve others. Rise Up is collaborating with ALARM-Rwanda for this initiative. Support the cost of 1 professional’s participating for $110.

Breaking cycles of poverty and creating a sustainable life requires overcoming many obstacles. Thirty-five women entrepreneurs have been selected to participate in a 2-year business training and skill development program. This initiative aims to strengthen the business skills of these 35 entrepreneurs and boost their businesses with a capital injection once these skills have been established and strengthened. Rise Up is collaborating with ALARM-Rwanda for this initiative.

Adolescence is a critical time that often defines a girl’s future. Girls are strong and capable and deserve the opportunity for an education in a safe, supportive, and stimulating environment.

Rise Up is glad to partner with The Institute of Women for Excellence (IWE). IWE is a secondary boarding school for girls focusing on science and technology. The exceptional education provided by IWE is made possible through school fees and the generosity of financial partners. Give a one-time gift or become a monthly partner. Your investment in girls’ education lets us plan effectively for the year and dream alongside the IWE faculty. ALARM-Rwanda operates IWE.

Watch a 1 minute video to learn why educating a girl is so important.

Rise Up is co-facilitating a multi-year training program with church and community leaders in Kajiado County, Kenya. Women in Kajiado face low levels of education and have experienced retrogressive cultural practices that diminish the positive impact women and girls can have in their communities. This initiative gathers women leaders in the church and community to equip them with leadership and ministry skills. As they gain skills and confidence in using their voice in the church and community, they will, in turn, be able to call for girls’ access to education, increased economic opportunities, and stop harmful practices like female genital mutilation (FGM), early child marriages, and women not being permitted to own property. Individual and community transformation happens in safe, supportive environments where women can heal, learn, grow, and advocate for change. A donation of $1000 can help bring training and amplify the voices of women leaders.

Rise Up in partnering with ALARM-Kenya and Elyon Women’s Initiatives.

This area is unstable due to many factors including a flood waters from Lake Baringo displacing people as the waters destroyed homes, schools and sources of income. In addition they have faced attacks from cattle raiders and violence from the neighboring sub-county and beyond. Furthermore, the community is impacted by low education and culturally repressive traditions.

According to county research, 76.3% of household heads had not attended school. Women's education level is even lower due to gender-discrimination, female genital mutilation (FGM) practice, early marriages, and the rampant insecurity in the area caused by cattle rustling practices. Pastoralist women face further marginalization because of their limited role in decision-making. Denying women a voice deters the long-term sustenance of their livelihood.

Investing in women’s knowledge and skills, needs, and priorities will encourage, equip, and empower.This initiative is designed to equip and empower 50 women and 40 adolescent girls in Ilchamus.

Training in mental health, trauma awareness, and resilience practices is the first step. Business training and sourcing the women with goats or business start up kits will follow.

Next-Gen Focus: 40 girls between 11-18 to provide life skills and self-worth. By focusing on adolescent girls, we hope they will begin to better appreciate and value themselves as a girl child, gain confidence in their ability to persevere in education, and become role models.

Rise Up is partnering with Elyon for this initiative.

Residents of Arabal have lived in the menace of banditry and ethnic violence, and particularly the women and children have suffered, some with physical scars that are constant reminders of what they have gone through. The effects of the traumatic events have impacted their lives negatively.

The plan is to conduct a two days training in stress management, trauma awareness and recovery with the aim of providing mechanisms and pathways for recovery from the negative effects of stress and traumatic events; and to foster hope and build resilience in the midst of recurring violence.

The target is 50 participants comprising of women leaders in church and community, and children’s workers both in church and school. Reaching the leaders is with intention that these leaders will begin to use the knowledge and skills received to help others who are within the spheres of influence.

Following the training in trauma awareness and recovery, we will conduct a survey to assess the existing gaps in the socio-economic, spiritual and leadership development among community members of Arabal to determine further work.

Rise Up is collaborating with Elyon in this initiative.

Trauma can happen to anyone and is more common than you may think. It can be caused by abuse, neglect, violence, accidents, natural disasters, or war. Unaddressed trauma can have long-lasting effects on individuals and flow into relationships and the wider community. People who have experienced trauma often struggle with trust, have difficulty forming and maintaining relationships, and may engage in harmful behaviors. The good news is addressing trauma can help reduce adverse outcomes and promote overall improved health. Rise Up is adapting its work in East and Central Africa to develop a curriculum and training that addresses the stigma of trauma, raises awareness and practices for trauma-informed organizations and communities, and creates a more supportive and compassionate society. Corinne Gunter and Jama Davis share leading this initiative. Corinne holds a M.A. in Transformational Leadership, Graduate Certificate in Conflict Transformation, and is a STAR Practitioner (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience). Jama Davis holds a Ph.D. Professional Counseling, M.A. Counseling Psychology, B.S. Psychology and Business.

The program seeks to promote discipleship of the Christians by nurturing them in the word of God and providing them with knowledge and skills to disciple others.

The program will start with church women leaders and emerging leaders in Ewuaso oo nkidong'i Location, Kajiado County. The end result is to foster strong generations in the word of God who are positively standing up to what is in line with the biblical teachings, and addressing the challenges faced by youth.

Given the challenges and issues women leaders and the youth face in their families, community and nation; the following subject areas will be facilitated: Biblical Spirituality; Following Christ in a Dynamic Society; Biblical Interpretation; Biblical Stewardship of Self, Time, God’s words and Resources; Christian Advocacy and Christian Youth responsibility in the Community; Community Development and Economic Empowerment.

Judea Initiative will target 40 women church leaders from different church denominations in Ewuaso oo nkidong'i location.

Rise Up is partnering with Elyon for this initiative.