SheRise Story

As ARISE expands across Africa, the Foundation moves beyond standalone initiatives to deliver integrated, measurable impact at scale.

In the villages around Bouaflé, the work begins in the fields. Women grow tomatoes and aubergines that can be sold fresh. They organize collection, share transport, and send them to markets in Abidjan, where other women take over to sell.

But cassava is different. It cannot be sold as it is. It must be transformed. And for years, that transformation was a struggle.

“We used manual presses. It was very hard […] you finish with blisters in your hands,” says Madame Irié, President of the Fédération Ivoirienne des Coopératives pour une Agriculture Innovante (FICAGRI)

For Madame Irié, these challenges are part of daily reality. She has worked alongside these women for years building something collective across production, transport, and sales.

Through SheRise, ARISE Foundation’s flagship women entrepreneurship programme, women like her are strengthening how they work and grow.

Across Côte d’Ivoire, 53 women entrepreneurs completed 74 hours of training in leadership, financial literacy, supply chains, marketing, and branding. Together, they mobilised 33 loans, unlocking FCFA 20.5 million in credit through Baobab and Fin’Elle.

This work is delivered in partnership with Fondation SEPHIS and supported by German Cooperation through GIZ’s InvestForJobs initiative, as part of the West African Women Initiative.

At the cooperative level, support from Afriland First Bank is helping remove a key barrier. With new equipment and training, cassava can now be processed faster, with less effort, and with greater consistency.

“With what we received today, our work will be easier […] it is the first big support we have received.”

“I give them one month to come back and see what the women of FICAGRI can do. They will come and taste the attiéké of Côte d’Ivoire.”

Because when women rise together with the right tools and partners they transform effort into lasting opportunity.

Gagan Gupta

Gagan is the Founder and CEO of ARISE IIP, ARISE IS and ARISE P&L, three verticals specialized in designing, financing, building and managing state-of-the art sustainable infrastructure across Africa, operating in Gabon, Togo, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Tchad, Rwanda, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Malawi and Cameroon

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Carlos Lopes

Carlos is also a member of a dozen boards, Carlos has led several United Nations institutions, including the Economic Commission for Africa. He has been at the forefront of economic integration projects such the African Continental Free-Trade Area, the reform of the African Union or the establishment of new partnerships with the European Union.

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Bhavin Vyas

He's in charge of ensuring the sustainability of company operations and the creation of shared value for all stakeholders across the three ARISE verticals. With 20 years of experience in more than 25 countries across Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa, Bhavin brings a detailed understanding of environmental and social risks and a knowledge of the positive benefits private investment can generate.

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Adaora Oramah Njoku

AMAKA Studio is a creative platform connecting global brands to over 70,000 skilled creatives across Africa and the diaspora. Backed by Morgan Stanley, AMAKA enables faster, more cost-effective creative execution for clients such as Nike, Sony, YouTube, and Access Bank, redefining how brands source and manage creative talent worldwide.

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Linda Kalimba Mulenga

She has over 25 years of experience in Commercial Law, international affairs, and transactional advisory for public and private institutions. Her expertise spans corporate governance, taxation, customs, banking and finance, energy, real estate, and ESG. A certified arbitrator and business owner, Linda has served on several corporate boards, including KCB and BPR Bank, Sanlam Insurance, and Aviation, Travel & Logistics Holdings Ltd. She played a key role in Rwanda’s accession to the East African Community and the Commonwealth, leading negotiations on customs, regional integration, and trade facilitation

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Caryle Boli

Caryle Boli is the ESG Cluster Manager at ARISE IIP. Through her role across multiple industrial platforms and different countries, Caryle works directly with local stakeholders, businesses, and workforce ecosystems. This exposure allows her to identify skill gaps, employment barriers, and entrepreneurial opportunities, which she translates into targeted ARISE UP programmes. Her initiatives are designed to equip individuals with practical skills and create clear pathways to jobs and business growth within evolving industrial environments.

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Nadine Mutaka

Nadine Mutaka is a business development manager at ARISE IIP, where she engages potential investors and leads feasibility studies for agro-industrial development in West and Central Africa.

Alongside her role, she has an entrepreneurial venture in a women-led agricultural company, where she leads business strategy and grant development. She previously worked in consulting and banking, focusing on performance analysis in the energy and agricultural sectors, and has contributed to projects with the World Bank, the DRC Ministry of Education, and KPMG to enhance access to primary education.

Her experience has equipped her with a clear understanding of investment frameworks, which she applies this expertise to translate community needs into fundable opportunities that can be scaled.

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Nancy Grover

Nancy Grover is Fundraising Coordinator at the ARISE Foundation, where she supports the development of partnerships and funding strategies to advance the Foundation’s programmes.

With a background in environmental planning, Nancy works within the audit and compliance team, focusing on ESG reporting, due diligence, and performance tracking. This experience enables her to translate programme impact into structured, data-backed narratives.

She applies this expertise to support fundraising efforts—aligning programme outcomes with donor expectations and positioning initiatives as credible, scalable opportunities for long-term impact.

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Daniele Remanda

Danièle Remanda leads carbon and sustainability initiatives at ARISE IIP where she supports the transition toward low-carbon industrial development.

With experience across energy and industrial sectors, Danièle has developed a strong understanding of how environmental challenges connect to operations, supply chains, and communities. She applies this expertise through ARISE Vert by designing programs that drive climate action and environmental stewardship, from ecosystem restoration and circular economy initiatives to community-led awareness programmes.

Danièle is driven by a clear conviction: climate action must create long-term value for both people and the planet.

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Leyla Mouli

Leyla Mouli is the ESG Manager for Cameroon at ARISE IIP. She supports the coordination and implementation of the Foundation’s programmes while overseeing environmental and social performance across industrial platforms in line with international standards.

Her experience spans climate research, policy, and programme delivery across international and African contexts, from supporting global climate initiatives and research on sustainability topics to leading ESG implementation on the ground. She also played a key role in establishing the ARISE Foundation, contributing to its architecture. This combined experience enables her to ensure that initiatives are both strategically grounded and effectively delivered.

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Shruthi James

Shruthi James is Corporate ESG Manager at ARISE IIP and Impact & Communications Manager at the ARISE Foundation, working at the intersection of sustainable industrialisation, climate finance, and community impact across Africa and the Middle East.

At ARISE IIP, she builds and operationalises ESG systems aligned with IFC Performance Standards, leading impact assessments, stakeholder engagement, and investment readiness processes across multiple countries. Her work includes mobilising climate finance and supporting ESG-led investment strategies that translate sustainability priorities into scalable opportunities.

Through the ARISE Foundation, she oversees programmes, partnerships, and communications, ensuring initiatives are both strategically grounded and responsive to local community needs.

Her experience spans ESG systems, reporting, and multi-country project delivery, alongside leading impact narratives and cross-sector collaborations.

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Gilbert Twinamasiko

Gilbert Twinamasiko is the Finance Manager of the ARISE Foundation where he oversees financial strategy, planning, and resource allocation to support programme delivery.

Gilbert brings over two decades of experience across banking, taxation, audit, and senior finance leadership roles in energy, construction, and industrial sectors. His experience in project finance, financial modelling, and governance enables him to structure and manage resources effectively.

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Neha Sikri

Neha Sikri is Senior Manager – Brand & Visual Communication at the ARISE Foundation, where she leads brand strategy, visual identity, and integrated design communication to strengthen the Foundation’s global presence and impact.

With over 18 years of experience, Neha has driven brand transformation and design communication frameworks across multi-country environments, particularly in Africa and emerging markets. She specialises in building scalable brand systems, leading high-impact campaigns, and aligning cross-functional and country teams to deliver consistent, high-quality communication across digital, print, and media channels.

She plays a key role in translating strategic priorities into compelling brand narratives, enhancing visibility, and positioning the Foundation as a credible and impactful voice across regions.

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Khushboo Kesarwani

Khushboo Kesarwani is HR Manager at the ARISE Foundation, where she leads talent acquisition, employer branding, and workforce development to support programme delivery.

With extensive experience in global talent acquisition, Khushboo has led recruitment across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, managing end-to-end hiring from managerial to leadership roles across diverse sectors. She has built large-scale recruitment strategies, developed leadership pipelines, and driven campus engagement programmes with top international universities.

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Koffi Kouamé

Koffi Kouamé is Legal Manager at the ARISE Foundation, where he leads the legal structuring of impact-driven programmes, supporting partnerships, funding agreements, and multi-country compliance.

With experience across Africa and international contexts, Koffi has worked on complex industrial, infrastructure, and investment projects within ARISE IIP. His expertise spans contract negotiation, public and business law, governance, and regulatory compliance, including PPPs, concessions, and institutional agreements.

He holds a background in business and public law and is currently pursuing a PhD in Banking and Finance Law, focusing on alternative financing models in the UEMOA region. He applies this expertise to ensure the Foundation’s initiatives are legally sound, scalable, and aligned with diverse regulatory frameworks.

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Dave Detchenou

Dave Detchenou is ESG Manager for Benin at ARISE IIP

Working closely with industrial sites and surrounding communities, Dave operates at the intersection of operations and social impact. His role exposes him to real-time community challenges—from access to healthcare to awareness gaps—which he translates into targeted ARISE Care programmes. These initiatives are designed to respond directly to local realities, improving access to essential services and strengthening community engagement.

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Deepali Kaushik

Deepali Kaushik is the Company Secretary to the Board at the ARISE Foundation, where she supports governance, compliance, and board operations across the Foundation’s activities.

With experience in corporate governance and legal operations at ARISE IIP, Deepali works closely with leadership to manage board processes, ensure regulatory compliance, and support decision-making across multi-country environments. Her role places her at the center of governance structures, overseeing board meetings, statutory requirements, and corporate frameworks within complex industrial ecosystems.

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