Rising International - Volunteer Team

Rising International aims to end world poverty by enabling women, the world's poorest people, to participate in the global economy.

Rising promotes ownership of craft-based businesses by women in impoverished areas of developed nations, and, globally, in developing nations. Our focus is primarily on women in the highest risk situations such as those in refugee camps, those with HIV/AIDS, homeless women, displaced immigrants, former slaves, or those in war-torn regions.

By selling their handmade crafts, and sharing their life stories, impoverished women can reach out to the rest of the world …not for charity, but for a chance.

Some of the items Rising promotes are traditional crafts – like baskets made by grandmothers in Uganda who have lost their sons and daughters to AIDS. Some are new craft lines created for the Western market – like silk purses and scarves woven by widows in Cambodia.

Crafts are purchased directly from the artisans with the assistance of local and international non profits and non governmental organizations (NGO's). Organizations such as CARE International and The Peace Corps have been instrumental with making direct contact with the women's crafts groups.

The women's crafts are sold through Rising's home party network. This popular and successful model for selling is used by organizations such as Mary Kay, Pampered Chef and Southern Living. By hosting a Rising International home party, you can help impoverished women all over the world rise out of poverty.

To date, Rising has helped women and families in 45 countries move toward a more sustainable livelihood.

Rising International is fiscally sponsored by the ACTION Council of Monterey County, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.