We support the resilience and resistance of movements led by women and non-binary human rights defenders in Asia and the Pacific by co-creating a safe environment for them to sustain their work and thrive.
In doing so, we are guided by feminist values that highlight collaboration and co-creation, and centers empathy, care, people and planet over profit.
We love to experiment, and we use emergent learning to help us strengthen our ability to reflect, learn, adapt and respond and strengthen our work. At every step, we ask ourselves: “What will it take to support the resilience and thriving of women and non-binary activists in Asia and the Pacific, and create a safe and caring environment that sustains their work?”
We believe that purpose and values driven experimentation can lead to breakthroughs that will lead us to the transformative change we ultimately seek. Our approach includes:
Taking a people-centered, holistic approach to resourcing.
We know that resilience is about physical, material and emotional care and wellbeing. We are as invested in resourcing the safety and security of human rights defenders and activists as we are in their wellbeing, their joy and thriving in the face of risks and beyond.
Evolving our feminist culture of care, co-leadership and solidarity. We believe in the mutuality between our own transformation and the resilience of activists and movements.
We do not implement programs or projects directly, rather we provide and leverage financial and nonfinancial resources for activists, movements and movement ecosystems.
Seeing ourselves as part of the movement for change.
As funders, we hold ourselves accountable for shifting the power dynamics between funder and grantee and between the global north and global south. This includes how, where, and from whom we raise money, and the daily interactions we have with activists and our donors. We respect their knowledge and honor their autonomy and dignity in all that we do.
Placing equal value on all parts of our work.
Our interrelated work includes grantmaking, the co-creation of spaces for reflection and rejuvenation, influencing philanthropy, supporting stronger webs of safety and care among activists and strengthening the institutional systems and culture we need to resource this work.
