Yearly Archives: 2025
Advocacy Group with RESULTS with picture of Capitol Hill
15
Dec, 2025

Advocacy

Advocacy Group with RESULTS: Looking Ahead to 2026

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of Together Women Rise’s Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

The Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS is Rise–ing in the coming year to restore and strengthen essential U.S. support for women and girls worldwide. To be even more effective this year, we will merge our advocacy interventions with those of Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) advocates from the RESULTS Global Partners Program.  

We will offer webinars with special speakers at least once each quarter and more often in special circumstances. In between webinars we will send out monthly calls for specific actions for Rise advocates to take according to the legislative calendar. We will also provide hands-on coaching support with tools for effective advocacy, through sessions tailored to the needs of each advocate.  Details

Advocacy Group with RESULTS with picture of Capitol Hill
1
Dec, 2025

Advocacy

Victory in November: A Massive Global Health Win and the Road Ahead

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of Together Women Rise’s Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

On Friday, November 21st, the current U.S. Administration recommitted to matching contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with $1 for every $2 from other donors and pledged $4.6 billion in funding. This pledge still needs to be honored by Congress in the FY26 budget and protected from future rescissions, so our work is far from over. But our tireless advocates can take a well-deserved bow!

Our Together Women Rise Advocacy Group With RESULTS works year-round to convince Members of Congress (MOCs) in both the House and Senate to fund global health and education programs. These investments are vital for the success of Rise grantees and for women and girls around the world. Through webinars and coaching calls, we share information, learn new strategies to increase our effectiveness, and take timely action together. Details

12
Nov, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Tanzania, December 2025

Hello Diners!

This month our good works take us to Tanzania. Our grantee, Global Fund for Widows, is dedicated to empowering widows and female heads of households to overcome poverty through skills-based training, job creation, and micro-finance. Ultimately, the goal is to help widows achieve financial stability, self-sufficiency, and importantly, become role models within their family and community. Details

Advocacy Group with RESULTS with picture of Capitol Hill
29
Oct, 2025

Advocacy

Advocacy Update: Impact of Government Shutdown on Women & Girls

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of Together Women Rise’s Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

Our Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS advocates for U.S. policy and funding that benefits our grantees and women and girls around the globe. We are focused on preserving vital U.S. foreign assistance for health and education programs despite the current administration’s drastic cuts starting with the dismantling of USAID. In our webinars we share information, encourage each other, and learn strategies that increase the effectiveness of our voices.   Details

Mary Lukach Rising Tide Headshot 2025
21
Oct, 2025

Chapters, For leaders, For chapters, Storytelling

Rising Tide: Mary Lukach | Chapter Support Liaison

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking.

This month, we’re featuring Mary Lukach, who joined Together Women Rise in 2018 as a member of the IL, Western Springs-1 chapter. Over the years, Mary has served in multiple volunteer roles with Rise and currently serves as a Chapter Support Liaison supporting 10 Rise chapters in her region. Mary grew up in Washington, DC and is a retired elementary school teacher. She currently lives in Chicago but has been summering at the Delaware beaches for over 60 years. Her passions include family, water coloring, “peloton-ing” and traveling!
 Details

15
Oct, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Kenya, November 2025

As we near the end of 2025, we look back over a year that featured several recipes inspired by the cuisine of Kenya. The Together Women Rise recipe curators offered a feast for the senses. We invite you to craft a Kenyan-themed potluck – or family meal – this month and enjoy some of the creativity and inspiration behind these dishes. You can search the Together Women Rise recipe archives for more! Details

Image of girls in Morrocco with Project Soar clapping adn smiling toward a subject off camera during an opening circle event. The text overlay says: "When governments step back, we must step up for women and girls around the world." - Beverley Francis Gibson CEO, Together Women Rise
9
Oct, 2025

Together Women Rise

This Day of the Girl, There’s Little to Celebrate – Unless We Rise Together

October 11 marks International Day of the Girl Child – a day to recognize girls’ rights and celebrate their power to shape a better world. But this year, I find myself asking: is there truly anything to celebrate?

Around the world, governments are dramatically slashing their foreign aid budgets. The U.S. alone has reduced its foreign aid commitments by billions of dollars, and other governments, including Germany, France and the U.K., are making similar cuts.

This is a crisis, and we know that women and girls are always hit hardest during any crises. Details

23
Sep, 2025

Travel

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Journey of Impact: Reflections from Indonesia

Over the past two weeks, I had the honor of traveling with 10 Together Women Rise members to Jakarta, Kalimantan, and Bali, Indonesia. Together, we were immersed in the beauty of the culture, arts, traditions, and cuisine. We cooked with local women in their homes, participated in sacred rituals like a water purification ceremony and a baby naming ceremony, received blessings from a Hindu priest, and supported the local economy by shopping for art, intricate woodwork, and handmade souvenirs. In Chinatown, we took part in a New Year ritual of releasing birds—a symbolic act of hope and renewal. 

But among all these unforgettable moments, the highlight for our group was spending time with two of our Rise grantees.  Details

10
Sep, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Kenya, October 2025

This month we honor our grantee “For the Good” and their work in rural Kenya where they work to create a world where every girl can go to school. The recipe for this month would be ideal for a breakfast, perhaps not on a school day but as a weekend treat. The cuisine of Kenya is a diverse and interesting amalgam of the many cultural traditions, such as Indian, Arab, Portuguese, British etc. that converged in the trading hubs of the coasts of Kenya. Details

Advocacy Group with RESULTS with picture of Capitol Hill
28
Aug, 2025

Advocacy

Building a Stronger Future Through Advocacy Together

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

Joining the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS can help our grantees by providing the resources they need from their local services such as vaccines and other medications, food for malnourished children, and improvements in the quality of public education. Through our advocacy webinars and experienced coaches assigned to mentor each advocate, we can show you how to be an effective advocate for these programs.   Details

Text over image reads: These reductions threaten access to maternal healthcare, hinder the fight against gender-based violence, and stall progress on human rights. Beverley Francis-Gibson, CEO Together Women Rise. Image is of a mother and baby looking at the camera
25
Aug, 2025

Together Women Rise

CEO Message: Funding Cuts Impact Our Grantees  

In our last issue, I shared with you the overwhelming response we received for our 2026 Featured Grants – over 600 applications from across the Global South. This response highlights the extraordinary passion, innovation, and determination of women-led organizations working to create a better future for women and girls in their communities.  

Yet, we are also seeing the severe challenges these organizations are facing. Around the world, 90% of women-led organizations are experiencing financial stain. Some of our own grantees have been directly impacted, including No Means No South Africa, our November 2024 Featured Grantee, which had to close its operations due to major disruptions in global funding.   Details

Aug 20, 2025

Together Women Rise

Summer 2025 Internship Reflection

by Cara Checchio, student at Clemson University and Together Women Rise’s summer 2025 Marketing & Communications Intern

This summer, I had the incredible privilege of working as the Marketing and Communications intern for Together Women Rise. As the first intern in this specific role, I was incredibly excited to influence their online presence and learn from an organization that is so deeply committed to gender equality. 

From the very beginning of my internship, I was very motivated by Rise’s dedication to achieving global gender equality. Helping women and girls in the Global South has been an incredibly rewarding and insightful experience. It really has made me aware of the many privileges I’ve grown up with and has made me even more grateful to contribute to this group.   Details

Beverley Francis-Gibson Colleen Kill and Vicky Bush Joseph smile at the camera with their arms around each other
19
Aug, 2025

Together Women Rise, For chapters

A Rising Tide: Vicky Bush-Joseph

Image above (from left to right): Rise CEO, Beverley Francis-Gibson, Board Member Colleen Kill, and Vice Chair Vicky Bush-Joseph

This month, we’re featuring Vicky Bush-Joseph, Together Women Rise Vice Chair and Chapter Leader of IL, Chicago – 8. Vicky has been a Together Women Rise member since 2018 and became a Rise board member in 2023.  She also serves on Rise’s Community Building and Learning Committee, the Grants & Partnerships Committee, and the Book Club Committee. She is a member of the IL, Western Springs – 1 chapter in the western suburbs of Chicago and the chapter leader for a new downtown Chicago chapter. A retired attorney, Vicky loves to travel with Rise, having participated in five Rise trips to India, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Bhutan, and Guatemala, and is getting ready to go on the upcoming trip to Indonesia. She also loves to read, bike, garden, cook, and eat and drink her way around the world.   Details

Aug 19, 2025

Best Practices, Grantees

Demystifying Fiscal Sponsorship: A Tool for Impact and Access

By Jasemen Hatcher, Program and Grantmaking Manager for Together Women Rise 

When we hear about nonprofits doing incredible work—delivering clean water, improving maternal health, or training young women in entrepreneurship—we often imagine large, well-established organizations. But many life-changing initiatives begin with a small team, a bold idea, and limited resources. For these emerging groups, especially those based in the Global South, getting access to international funding can be a steep climb. 

Enter fiscal sponsorship—a practical solution that opens doors.  Details

13
Aug, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Cambodia, September 2025

Hello Diners!

This month our good works take us to Cambodia. Our grantee, Lotus Outreach, aims to empower women and children living in poverty around the world. Together Women Rise is funding Girls Access to Education (GATE), Lotus Outreach’s project that targets high-performing girls who are at risk for leaving school. It works with girls, their families, and community advocates, with a special focus on scholarships and safety. Details

Jun 24, 2025

Advocacy

A Critical Period for Global Health and Education Programs

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

The Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS is working to defend foreign assistance funding. As they review the Administration’s mega bill for the coming year, both the House and Senate proposals currently call for slashed funding and/or outright closure of almost all US foreign assistance.

In our webinar on June 17, we heard remarkable and moving stories from our guest speaker, Laurel Fain, gleaned from her 24 years as a USAID health officer in countries in Africa and Asia. Laurel discussed how local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government workers are trying to continue their efforts after the abrupt halt of USAID programs. A continued supply of medicines, nutritional supplements, and other goods, such as bed nets to ward off malaria, is what these workers need most urgently.

Details

Group of Rise Rwanda travelers in 2025 stand in the jungle on a trek to visit gorillas with their guides.
23
Jun, 2025

Together Women Rise, Travel

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A Journey to Rwanda: Compassion, Community, and Connection

By Tonnie Cummings, Rwanda traveler and member of the Together Women Rise chapter in Vancouver, WA.  

A group of Rise travelers from the Rwanda 2025 trip are gathered outside a building smiling with hands raised with a granteeReflecting on my recent Together Women Rise trip to Rwanda, these are the images that stick in my mind: row after row of brilliant, green hills extending to the horizon; brightly-colored birds flitting about and calling from dawn until dusk – even in downtown Kigali; and the huge, warm smiles of every single Rwandan we met. The consequences of the horrific 1994 genocide continue to influence their lives, but Rwandans have chosen to reconcile in order to heal and to unify their country. There is a true sense of community and of people looking out for one another. For example, every able-bodied adult participates in a monthly day of community service, called Umuganda, that involves cleaning neighborhood streets, maintaining public parks, or other activities that contribute to the overall wellbeing of the country.  

On our trip, we were fortunate to visit four Together Women Rise grantees that embody the Rwandan spirit of compassion and community.  

Details

"We are living through an extraordinary moment of global need for women & girls." - Quote by Beverley Francis-Gibson, Together Women Rise CEO overlays a picture of Mitano, a young Kenyan girl from grantee partner, Too Young To Web
23
Jun, 2025

Together Women Rise

We Are in Unprecedented Times

June 6 marked the application deadline for Together Women Rise’s 2026 Featured Grants — and the response was truly historic. We received more than 600 applications, a dramatic increase from our typical 100 to 200 applications per grant cycle. These featured grants provide critical funding to organizations that empower and support women and girls in low-income communities across the Global South. 

This surge in applications, while record-breaking, was not entirely unexpected. Even before the grant cycle opened, one organization told me they had to lay off half their staff and overhaul their programs just to stay afloat. They remain deeply committed to their mission, but without new funding sources, their ability to continue is at risk. We saw the urgency reflected in the growing number of inquiries and the strong attendance at our information sessions for prospective grantees. In response, we intentionally broadened our outreach to ensure that organizations working with women and girls throughout the Global South were aware of our funding opportunities. 

Clearly, we are living through an extraordinary moment of global need for women and girls. 

Details

17
Jun, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Guatemala, August 2025

This August we honor MAIA, an organization in Guatemala led by Indigenous women to empower Indigenous girls. Their name comes from Maia, one of the brightest stars in the sky that is considered symbolic of knowledge and wisdom and that has meaning in all three languages that they communicate in for their work (Kaqchikel, Spanish and English). Coincidentally, my second daughter is named Maia, spelled precisely the same way and also coincidentally, she has an August birthday. As I was wondering what the chances were for such an alignment, while researching Guatemalan cuisine, I heard really loud peals of thunder followed by flashes of lightning. It has been an extremely stormy week where I live and while temperatures are still pretty high and it is still grilling season, I feel like the weather calls for a stovetop recipe. Details

12
Jun, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Nepal, July 2025

The weather in July, no matter which corner of the United States you happen to be in, does not necessarily call to mind a warm bowl of noodle soup. Unless you happen to have a case of the summer sniffles, which I sincerely hope is not what you are currently grappling with. But as I read about our grantee for this month, Rural Health & Education Service Trust (RHEST), and their Stop Girl Trafficking program that keeps at-risk girls in school – thereby reducing their susceptibility to trafficking, early marriage, and forced labor – I felt the need for something warm and comforting. Details

Together Women Rise and Results logos
29
May, 2025

Advocacy

Advocacy in Action!

By Susan Wright, Co-Chair of the Together Women Rise Advocacy Group with RESULTS 

In the first 100 days of the new Administration, Together Women Rise advocates reached out to our Members of Congress to stress the importance of maintaining key foreign assistance programs that benefit women and children across the globe.

Details

Hudson OH 2025 Fundraiser - Coleaders Rachel and Tamara Peterson with speaker Roberto Pinedo
15
May, 2025

Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Rachel & Tamara Peterson

Pictured above, from left to right: Rachel Peterson, Roberto Pinedo (guest speaker from PERUCAN-OH), and Tamara Peterson.

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking.  
 
This month, we’re featuring Rachel and Tamara Peterson, co-leaders of the OH, Hudson – 1 chapter. This mother-daughter duo have been leading their chapter for over 10 years! They also host an annual fundraiser for Together Women Rise and participate in various other community events with their chapter members.  Our Volunteer Manager, Kia Hunter, spoke with them about this year’s event and some best practices for hosting Rise fundraisers.

Details

Mary Griesedieck
23
Apr, 2025

Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Mary Griesedieck

One of our goals for this Chapter Leader newsletter is to create a forum for chapter leaders to learn from each other and about each other. We’re calling this feature “A Rising Tide” because when one of our chapters succeeds, we all succeed – and we should share those strategies and successes with each other to lift all our boats, metaphorically speaking.  

This month, we’re featuring Mary Griesedieck, Chapter Leader of the CO, Cherry Creek – 1 chapter. Mary has been a Rise member for 10 years and has a lot of great advice on how to make meetings more engaging — including having a speaker from the featured country almost every month!  

Originally from St. Louis, Mary has spent most of her life in Colorado and loves it. She is an outdoor person and a people person! With her master’s in special education, Mary worked as a teacher. Her two granddaughters now take up much of her time.   Details

9
Apr, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Peru, May 2025

Regarding Peruvian cuisine: We say “Peru” and (most of) you will respond, “ceviche.” This would not be incorrect. Peru’s ceviche is beloved. We wanted to explore a different, more everyday dish, for this edition of Proven Platter. Allow us to introduce Aji de Gallina – a delicious chicken stew featuring the signature flavor and yellow color of Aji Amarillo chili paste. Details

Together Women Rise and Results logos
20
Mar, 2025

Advocacy

Together Women Rise Advocates Defend Foreign Aid

Written By: Susan Wright, Rise Advocacy Co-Chair

Together Women Rise advocates are fully engaged with our partner, RESULTS, to fight the suspension of U.S. foreign aid and the dismantling of USAID. We know that many Rise grantees are facing disruptions or elimination of programming as a result of the administration’s actions. We need to continue to counteract this stoppage of U.S. foreign assistance that threatens the millions of people who depend on food, medicine, health services and other support from USAID, as well as other programs such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Details

14
Feb, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Tanzania, March 2025

To know the cuisine of Tanzania is to know Kachumbari. This refreshing salad is a staple side dish or condiment, found on most dining tables. While the basic ingredients include tomatoes, onions, an acid (usually lime juice), and heat (such as chili peppers or Scotch bonnets), variations abound. Some prepare it with sliced tomatoes, while others prefer a diced preparation – choose whichever suits your needs. Details

Lindy Cater Headshot
23
Jan, 2025

Together Women Rise

A Rising Tide: Lindy Cater

When Lindy makes a commitment, it’s long lasting. She’s been married for 57 years, lived in the same home since 1978, had a career serving nonprofits, and has been chapter leader of her Spokane, Washington chapter for 9 years. She’s passionate about women’s issues and has served on both Rise’s Grants and Partnerships Committee and is now a member of Rise’s Transformation Partnerships Committee.   Details

Together Women Rise and Results logos
23
Jan, 2025

Advocacy

“We Were Made for Times Like These”: Advocacy Orientation Recap

Written By: Margaret Moodian, Ed.D., Rise Advocacy Co-Chair

Last night’s Together Women Rise advocacy webinar inspired our advocacy team, including many who joined us for the first time. The theme, “We Were Made for Times Like These”, resonated with everyone in attendance, serving as a powerful reminder that although the future may seem uncertain, we have the tools and the determination to make a difference. Our constitutionally-assured access to the corridors of power in Washington provides us with an incredible opportunity to advocate on behalf of women and girls around the world who lack a voice. Details

14
Jan, 2025

Recipes

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The Proven Platter – Kenya, February 2025

The recipe for this month, a rather cold February 2025, is in honor of our grantee, Kakenya’s Dream. The dream is to “invest in girls from rural Kenya through educational, health, and leadership initiatives to create agents of change.” The weather and the subject of our inspiration (Kenyan cuisine, girls being empowered…) seemed to conspire to prod me toward a stew of some kind, a stew that would warm your heart, lift your spirits, and fill you up. Enter: Maharage Ya Nazi, Details

Rehema, a participant with Transformation Partner, Landesa, smiles as she looks down at a table of woven baskets at an open air market
6
Jan, 2025

Gender Equality, Transformation Partnerships

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The Power of Women-Led Movements for Land Rights

The Landesa Center for Women’s Land Rights works globally to elevate and catalyze the voices and leadership of grassroots women and women-led organizations who are driving the movement on land rights at local and national levels to realize both gender and climate justice. Under its Transformation Partnerships grant with Together Women Rise, in 2024 the Center carried out a range of activities to help reach its goal of achieving long-term, systemic gender equality impact. 

For example, in Tanzania, a series of trainings on women’s land rights was facilitated by the Landesa Stand for Her Land team.  The trainings equipped participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt transformative agroecological practices, understand women’s land rights, and leverage these tools for women’s economic empowerment.  Details

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