The Leader of Rise Up China Is Arrested!

“Kenny” who is the head of our efforts in China was recently arrested and released after months in prison for protesting against the Chinese government.
Here is a little background on the story...
Kenny is truly a selfless man & master artist who gives his time to train orphans who are aging out of children’s homes in China.
In China orphan teens have to leave & fend for themselves after they turn 16. As a result many end up in exploitative labor, prostitution, and in some cases death due to lack of proper nutrition & health care.
Rise Up has partnered with Scrolls from China & Kenny to provide vocational training and eventually a transitional living program for kids who are leaving the children’s homes. One of the big problems facing orphans in China today is the lack of adequate health care. Last year we lost our own Si Xun, (an art student of Kenny’s pictured above), who died due to deficient health care in the orphanage where she lived. Since then Kenny has been on a mission to raise awareness about the lack of support for the health of orphans who are in government run orphanages. Protest against the government & freedom of speech related to injustice caused by the government is not tolerated. For this reason alone Kenny was imprisoned.
Despite China’s growing economy, the elderly, poor, and orphaned, are often treated like 2nd class citizens & do not have adequate health care & services.

Check out an article in the New York Times about this issues written a few years ago. The problem has escalated even more since it was written.
If you would like to support an orphan in China to receive vocational training & help them transition into adulthood – Click here.

Make A Difference - Volunteer at a Coldplay, Wilco, REM Concert This Summer.

Bands like Coldplay, REM, Bloc Party, M. Ward, and Wilco believe that music can change the world–and their fans are joining the cause! To join them in the global movement to end hunger, poverty, and injustice, apply to volunteer at one of their concerts. Click Here for more info & a application.

India Construction is underway!

Thanks to all of you, we have started construction on the 2nd story of the school building. We hope to have it completed by June 2009. Soon the orphans will have their own room! Enjoy the photos of the progress below!

If you would like to donate to our free education programs, financially support an orphan, or help complete the construction project...e-mail our Rise Up India founder and country coordinator Sheri Foster at Sheri@riseupinternational.com
Thanks again! Stay tuned for more photos of the progress! For more info check out the Rise Up India Blog here.

Bread & Butter Barcelona!

As many of you know, Rise Up International partners with Rise Up Clothing (a fashion line) to help raise money for our projects. When you purchase a tee-shirt, hoodie, or pair of jeans...a portion of the proceeds goes to help break the cycle of poverty all over the world. Recently, the clothing line provided the funding for twenty teens to receive scholarships to go to high school outside of the garbage dump (where they live) in Nicaragua.

They recently debuted their Spring collection in Barcelona, Spain at the Bread & Butter trade show.
You can see more photos at the Rise Up flickr page here.

To view the entire Spring collection- visit the Rise Up Clothing website here.

Chinese New Year!

Many thanks to all of you who came out to our first annual Chinese New Year event! It was so awesome to see so many children helping children and families rising up for a good cause!


With your help, we were able to raise over $6,000 for orphans in China. This summer we hope to be able to open our first transitional housing project for teens forced to leave the orphanage at age 16. Stay tuned to this blog and our (all new coming soon) website for updates on the progress. Check out the Rise Up flickr page here for photos from the event.


A HUGE thank you to Ryder Graphics & Hong Kong Restaurant for donating all of the food and print for the event. We would not be able to do what we do without community partners like you!

Thanks and Stay Tuned!