How your purchase changes lives!
The nonprofit organization RISE was established in 2014. Our founder, Angie, had recently returned from Uganda, where she helped an acid attack survivor named Christine access life-changing surgeries in the U.S. Inspired by Christine’s strength and resilience and the outpouring of support from people in the U.S., Angie decided to reach out to some friends in the U.S. to see how they might help other acid attack survivors in Uganda.
When we asked Ugandan survivors how we could help, the most common response was a request for money. Most of the survivors whom we met were living in extreme poverty, where jobs and opportunities for advancement in life were scarce. In addition, most survivors and their families' savings had been depleted by the cost of medical care following their acid attack.
In the first few years, RISE did what many organizations do—we gave money. And yes, that helped in the short term but over time, we saw that donations, while well-intentioned, didn’t truly empower survivors. In fact, sometimes they made people feel stuck in a cycle of waiting for help, of needing someone else to come along and fix things.
That’s why purchasing survivors' products and selling them internationally via the RISE Artisan Marketplace has become RISE's primary focus. It’s not just about income. It's about dignity. It’s about survivors viewing themselves as creative, skilled, and capable of shaping their own futures. When they get paid for their products, they’re not receiving charity. They're earning a living. That shift changes everything. Confidence grows. Independence grows and little by little, survivors reclaim control over their lives.
When you purchase one of these beautiful products, you're helping send the message that, 'We see you, you have value and your work matters.' Thank you for shopping to support changed lives!