19 local organizations to watch: Rise Beyond the Reef

📋 What they do Rise Beyond the Reef economically empowers rural Indigenous women and their families in Fiji by designing ecologically, culturally, and socially conscious handmade goods while promoting climate-smart agriculture. The organization builds sustainable pathways for Pasifika women to access local and international markets while maintaining their traditions. The ultimate goal is to create women-led solutions to the climate crisis. 👀 Why we’re watching Rise Beyond the Reef started with $5,000 donated by friends and family and has since operated with less than 25% grant funding over the past 10 years. Although it’s a nonprofit, it’s committed to diversifying its revenue streams. This includes funding from organizations such as Women’s Fund Fiji, or WFF, Fiji Water Foundation, and the Secretariat of the Pacific, which along with WFF are both funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Rise Beyond the Reef also earns revenue from selling its products, of which artisans earn between 25% to 50% of the retail cost of the items. On average, the hourly rate for artisans is between 55% to 65% above Fiji’s minimum wage. 🏢 Country of operation Fiji. 🗓️ Founding year 2013. ➕ Leadership Janet Lotawa, co-founder and executive director. 📊 Impact snapshot Rise Beyond the Reef works with over 600 rural artisans in Fiji, a third of whom are learning an artisan skill for the first time. Artisans have earned over $727,000 through their work. For the past 10 years, the organization has built a largely self-sustaining program and reached platforms such as Smithsonian Marketplace, Novica, Amazon Handmade, and FAIRE, and has several local and international wholesale partners. 💡Insider scoop Despite operating in a small and underfunded country in the development field, this social enterprise is making noise, having been featured in Forbes, the New Zealand Herald, and The Fiji Times. One problem is that government ministries are often too geographically distant to track the needs of remote communities in Fiji. Nevertheless, the organization has plans to expand to the Solomon Islands this year and is embarking on initial trading with artisan groups in Vanuatu. It also hopes to reach approximately $447,000 in buying from artisans annually. ➡️ Follow 🌐risebeyondthereef.org