rise in the city 2017

Manhattan has been split into 100 virtual blocks. Principal architecture firms, designers and artists have been invited to select a NYC block of their choice and create a piece of art that represents that block infused with some elements of Lesotho culture.

Over 75 incredible works of art have been created and are now being auctioned online. The top 10 art pieces will be sold in a live auction at the rise in the city event on October 25.

All proceeds from the auction will go towards the construction of an accommodation block for an orphanage in Lesotho, Southern Africa combined with entrepreneurship training and mentoring for the staff and older youth at the orphanage so they can set up income generating activities and reduce dependency on aid.
In addition, a cohort of up to 20 local graduates will go through a 6-month design & build fellowship and entrepreneurial training program. After the fellowship they will equipped with the skills needed to initiate other community projects and to build the entrepreneurship ecosystem in rural and peri-urban villages in the region.
This auction needs to raise $75,000 and the remaining $75K will be raised from local donors in Lesotho.

All the art pieces will be exhibited to the public on October 25 from 7 to 11pm at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in NYC. Tickets must be purchased in advance at: https://riseint.org/newyork2017/tickets/

Go to www.riseinthecity.com for more info.

rise is working towards a world where sustainable social enterprises, created by local entrepreneurs are the norm. Through our professional network, rise links entrepreneurs from low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa to fundamental resources that they would otherwise not have access to, in order to fulfil their potential.

The first rise project, will follow the in loco “hands-on, bottom-up” approach, offering a 6-month fellowship program for local built environment graduates to deliver a new building with accommodation, study and service facilities for the children at a very overcrowded orphanage in Lesotho, Southern Africa.

This combined with entrepreneurship training and mentoring, will enable the orphanage to provide enough accommodation for the children and to become more self-sustaining by launching income-generating activities.

True to the rise ethos, the local community will be instrumental through this process, with the support and expertise of industry experts.

rise is a not-for-profit organization, co-founded by BOND Events as an integral part of its Corporate Social Responsibility Program.