Grantmaking Pillars
Central to our mission is the commitment that our grants fund the self-defined needs of communities. We work with grassroots organizations that are embedded in communities and engaged in work that addresses these self-defined needs. Through nearly two decades of working with and learning from our grant partners, we have gained fluency in some of the critical issues facing rural communities in Latin America, East Africa and Southeast Asia.
Our pillars represent areas of our grant making expertise thanks to years of working alongside grassroots organizations that are champions of this work. These pillars don’t represent the sole focus of our work, but rather the issues that have been central to our work over the years and today.
The following examples highlight some of the current projects and organizations we support.
Climate and Environmental Justice
One of our partners in Myanmar documents and spreads awareness on environmental impacts of industrial projects among ethnic minorities in Myanmar. Their projects advocate for environmental justice in areas affected by coal mining and power production.
Taa’Pit works with indigenous families in the Lake Atitlán region of Guatemala to reintroduce traditional foods, cooking techniques and agricultural practices to repair an ecosystem harmed by a history of environmentally damaging agriculture practices.
Educating Future Generations
AC Esperanza offers students in the underserved community of Chimaltenango, Guatemala, a curriculum that emphasizes leadership development, entrepreneurial opportunity, humanities and a world with alternatives to gangs, drugs and violence.
Child Empowerment Programme provides a place where young mothers can navigate stigma and return to school. Their programs help girls in Namagera village, Uganda, complete their education and gain access to valuable vocational training.
Gender Equity
Women Peace Makers raises awareness around gender-based violence in Cambodia and helps men and women to envision a world where everyone should speak up for and protect women’s rights.
Through their GALS project, Women in Sustainable Enterprise (WISE) empowers young women in Kisumu region of Kenya to develop environmentally sustainable businesses and strengthen their communities.
Indigenous Rights
UNOSJO has defended indigenous rights in the villages of Mexico’s Sierra Juarez mountains for nearly 30 years, doing everything from educating youth on violence against women, to advocating to protect indigenous corn varieties, to maintaining the mountain roads with their own fleet of construction vehicles.
Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association (CIYA) helps improve access to education and professional experiences for indigenous youth, while upholding the importance of custom and traditions.
