This piece is part of our ongoing series, Behind the Scenes of Our Global Work, highlighting the local partners who help power our impact around the world.
Meaningful partnerships don’t begin with outcomes.
They begin with shared values, mutual trust, and a belief in what is possible when organizations work alongside communities to create change. That spirit is at the heart of Rise Up Together’s partnership with SPC Management Services Pvt. Ltd. (SPC), our employer of record and local implementation partner in India. Our partnership is rooted in a shared commitment to advancing gender justice through community-driven solutions and long-term investment in leadership.
India is home to extraordinary diversity – across languages, cultures, geographies, and communities. That diversity creates both opportunity and complexity when advancing gender justice.
According to SPC Director Nabajyoti Das, what works in one region or community may not work in another. Sustainable change requires local understanding, trusted relationships, and approaches grounded in the realities of the people they aim to serve.
“India’s diversity is both its strength and its complexity,” he shared. “Gender justice challenges in one region can look very different from those in another because they are shaped by local social norms, cultural traditions, economic realities, caste dynamics, and many other factors.”
For more than 20 years, SPC has worked alongside organizations across India, bringing deep local knowledge and relationships that help strengthen community-driven work. As Rise Up Together continues to strengthen its presence in India, that local expertise helps ensure our work remains grounded in the realities, priorities, and aspirations of the communities we serve.
What initially stood out to SPC was Rise Up Together’s belief that lasting change should be led by the people closest to the challenges – and the solutions.
For Nabajyoti, that commitment was evident from the beginning.
“Rise Up Together invests in local leaders – particularly women and girls – who already understand the realities, challenges, and aspirations of their communities,” he explained. “This approach creates ownership and sustainability of impact. Rise Up Together invests in local leaders with vision and courage, while SPC brings local knowledge, networks, and operational support that help these initiatives function effectively and sustainably across diverse regions of India.”
Looking ahead, we’re excited about what we can build together. For SPC, collaboration with Rise Up Together presents an important opportunity to support local leadership and strengthen the conditions that allow communities to thrive. “Our partnership gives SPC the opportunity to support and strengthen a movement that has potential to create measurable impact,” Nabajyoti reflected. “As this partnership between SPC and Rise Up Together continues to grow, we hope it will help create stronger ecosystems of leadership, creating more opportunity for women and communities across India.”
For Rise Up Together’s India Country Lead Vidhu Prabha, one of the partnership’s greatest strengths is the way it combines global experience with deep local knowledge.
“What excites me most about our partnership with SPC is that it brings together complementary strengths,” shared Vidhu. “SPC brings decades of local expertise in managing operations and programs across India, along with its long-standing collaborations with organizations advancing transformative development efforts. Together, we are building a strong foundation to support leaders who are driving meaningful change in their communities and advancing a more equitable future.”
As Rise Up Together continues to deepen its work in India, our partnership with SPC reflects a belief that has guided our work for the past 17 years: lasting change happens when local leaders are trusted to lead and communities have the support they need to turn bold ideas into lasting impact.
“When grassroots leaders receive the right support, mentorship, resources, and platforms like Rise Up Together provides, their impact can reach far beyond their immediate communities and influence broader systems and policies,” said Nabajyoti. “At SPC, our work across India has shown us that even in challenging environments, communities are capable of showing extraordinary resilience when supported. Looking ahead, we believe the future of gender justice in India will be shaped by partnerships, local leadership, and the continued support for voices that have been historically excluded from decision-making.”
