Our Member Travel Program
Together Women Rise’s Travel Program provides meaningful and inspirational travel experiences for our members. These trips offer opportunities for members to connect face-to-face with our grantees and the women and girls we serve. Our goal is that these experiences will deepen our members’ understanding of the issues facing women and girls in the developing world, especially the women we support, while fostering strong bonds of friendship with travelers.
Together Women Rise’s exclusive travel provider is Elevate Destinations, based in Cambridge MA, which specializes in designing and implementing travel programs for nonprofit organizations while empowering and respecting the local destinations. It is a female-owned and operated social enterprise with a strong commitment to sustainability practices and gender issues.
Together Women Rise works with Elevate Destinations to select trip destinations that are of interest to our members and allow visits to Together Women Rise grantees. We are committed to offering unique travel experiences at a variety of price points in order to appeal to as many of our members as possible.
For questions or more information on any Together Women Rise trip, please contact Elevate Destinations at togetherwomenrise@elevatedestinations.com.
Visiting Together Women Rise Grantees
Together Women Rise members interested in visiting one of our grantees are encouraged to participate in a Together Women Rise sanctioned trip through Elevate Destinations. On occasion, our members are interested in connecting with grantees when they are traveling on their own. Some of our grantees have their own visitor/volunteer models and are well-equipped to handle tourists. For others, accommodating visitors can cause undue hardship because of their limited staff and resources. Together Women Rise has developed some guidelines that will help to minimize any hardship on our grantees while allowing our members to connect face-to-face with the women and girls we serve.
Guidelines for Visiting Together Women Rise Grantees
2024 Trips
Together Women Rise: Journey to Malawi
October 1-11, 2024
Malawi is affectionately dubbed “the warm heart of Africa, and boasts unspoiled beauty that combines ‘bush and beach’. This small country also has another story to tell – one of welcoming and age-old culture, tradition, and crafts. On this once-in-a-lifetime journey with Together Women Rise, you’ll have the opportunity to witness the reach of Rise’s support to women and girls in Malawi. From financing and advocating for female entrepreneurs, after-school programs for adolescent girls, to sustainable and efficient stone cookstoves, you will explore programs that support gender equality from different angles.
Your journey will begin in Lilongwe and end on Malawi’s most coveted feature, Lake Malawi, which is characterized by clear waters and an abundance of tropical freshwater fish. Along the way, you will visit and interact with four of Together Women Rise’s grantees, including Ripple Africa, Advancing Girls’ Education in Africa (AGE Africa), The Mooncatcher Project, and Shared Interest.
Join Together Women Rise Board Vice Chair, Vicky Bush-Joseph, and Communications & Membership Director, Wendy Frattolin, on this trip.
Highlights
- Discover the warmth of Malawian culture and its vast landscape by exploring different regions of the country, visiting vibrant markets, participating in hands-on cultural activities including cooking and art classes to deeply connect with the Malawian culture.
- Learn about the issues facing girls and women in Malawi, and initiatives tackling these challenges through interactive visits with four of Together Women Rise’s grantees.
- Experience an unforgettable, two-day visit with Ripple Africa where you will be immersed in the day-to-day life of the local community with the pristine backdrop of Mwaya Beach.
- Relax on the shores or participate in activities at Lake Malawi, christened by David Livingstone as the “Lake of Stars” because of how the twinkling stars and galaxies glitter from the crystal-clear water of the lake.
THIS TRIP IS NOW FULL. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please complete the registration form using the link above.
Questions? Please contact Together Women Rise’s travel provider at togetherwomenrise@elevatedestinations.com.
Our partner, Ripple Africa, is excited to welcome you to Malawi! Watch the video below for a sneak peak of what you can look forward to on the trip!
Together Women Rise: Journey to Cambodia
November 7-18, 2024
Join Together Women Rise on this expansive journey to Cambodia, where you will visit and interact with two of the organizations that Rise has supported: Kids Play International and Mith Samlanh.
Kids Play International promotes gender equality through sport and the Olympic values in post-genocide impacted countries. Mith Samlanh provides safe shelter and support to marginalized girls, many at risk of human trafficking, living or working on the streets of Phnom Penh.
Broaden your horizons by learning about Cambodian history, from the temples of the world’s “eighth wonder,” Angkor Wat, to sites affected by the radical Khmer Rouge regime. Celebrate the resilient growth of this nation by sharing in one of their biggest holidays, the Bon Om Touk water festival.
End your trip just outside Phnom Penh, where you will reflect on your journey in the Cambodian countryside.
Join Together Women Rise CEO, Beverley Francis-Gibson, and Board Chair, Cheryl Holland, on this trip.
Highlights
- Have a uniquely immersive experience with communities in Cambodia and locally-driven initiatives that support Cambodian youth as you visit Together Women Rise grantees, Kids Play International and Mith Samlanh.
- See the largest religious structure in the world, the majestic Hindu-Buddhist temple complex Angkor Wat.
- Celebrate the Bon Om Touk water festival by cheering on the local dragon boat races and sharing in prayer at floating lantern ceremonies.
- Rest and reflect at a boutique resort in the Cambodian jungle, complete with farm-to-table meals.
ONE SPOT HAS COME AVAILABLE ON THIS TRIP. If you are interested, please complete the registration form using the link above.
Questions? Please contact Together Women Rise’s travel provider at togetherwomenrise@elevatedestinations.com.
2025 TRIPS
Together Women Rise: Journey to the Dominican Republic
March 16 – 22, 2025
Join Together Women Rise for an educational and inspiring journey to the Dominican Republic, where you will visit and interact with two organizations that Rise has supported: DREAM Project and The Mariposa Foundation. Together Women Rise funded the DREAM Project in 2021 and The Mariposa Foundation in 2014. Both organizations are committed to educating and empowering girls so they can reach their full potential, become leaders for social change in their communities, and end generational poverty.
Embrace the Dominican Republic lifestyle and explore the country’s natural wonders of mangrove-filled rivers and ancient cave systems. Meet with local women entrepreneurs, tour a renowned historical museum dedicated to women activists, and delight in traditional meals for a true taste of the rich and diverse Dominican culture.
Highlights
- Have an immersive experience with Together Women Rise grantees, including multiple opportunities to participate in activities and interact with the girls these organizations support.
- Learn about ecotourism and cacao, two of the Dominican Republic’s largest industries, from grassroots organizations that work to ensure positive impact to local communities.
- Visit the Casa Museo Hermanas Mirabal Museum which honors the lives of the Mirabal sisters and pays tribute to their fight against repression and terror inflicted by the Trujillo dictatorship.
- Lean into your adventurous side and explore famous, 5-million-year-old cave systems while swimming in the fresh spring waters of El Choco National Park.
Registration is open for Rise members until October 11. After that, any remaining spots will be open to non-Rise members. Questions? Please contact Together Women Rise’s travel provider at togetherwomenrise@elevatedestinations.com.
Together Women Rise: Journey to Rwanda
May 31 – June 8, 2025
Join Together Women Rise for a transformative journey to Rwanda, where you will visit and interact with four of the organizations that Rise has supported: Gardens for Health, the Komera Project, the Kula Project, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Across the four projects, you will see firsthand how these organizations are working to end chronic child malnutrition, developing women entrepreneurs, transforming the future of teen mothers and vulnerable adolescent girls, and involving girls in wildlife conservation efforts.
Broaden your horizons by learning about Rwandan history, from the lively Nyamirambo district in Kigali to the poignant memorials that reveal the heart of Rwanda. Experience unique wildlife encounters with safaris in Akagera National Park and Volcanoes National Park.
Highlights
- Have the unique opportunity to explore the daily lives of women and girls in Rwanda through deeply immersive and engaging visits with four of Together Women Rise’s grantees.
- Explore Rwanda’s culture and learn about the country’s traumatic history and the genocide in the 1990’s, along with stories of resiliency and reconciliation through visits to the Nyamirambo neighborhood and the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center.
- Experience Rwanda’s natural wildlife with a thrilling safari drive in Akagera National Park and exploration of the lush landscapes of Musanze, with opportunities to view either the golden monkeys or the majestic mountain gorillas.
- Experience the untouched beauty of Rwanda, known as the “land of a thousand hills,” boasting diverse regions and landscapes from city center Kigali to the volcanic landscapes in the north.
Registration is open for Rise members until December 9th. After that, any remaining spots will be open to non-Rise members. Questions? Please contact Together Women Rise’s travel provider at togetherwomenrise@elevatedestinations.com.
Indonesia
September 2025 (Exact dates TBD)
You will visit Health in Harmony in the remote regions of Indonesia, and Bumi Sehat in Bali. Trip details and registration info will be available soon!