Global reach stories

Liza Zaruba, a woman with a light skin tone and long blonde hair, stands in between country flags outside of the United Nations. She rests her hands on her hips and is wearing a white blouse and yellow pants.
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Education
Obama-Chesky Voyager travels from Togo to Geneva to make a difference in health care

Explore Liza Zaruba's Summer Voyage, and learn how she plans to apply her new health care skills back in Chicago

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A black-and-white headshot of a woman with long dark wavy hair, parted to the side. She wears a floral blouse and dark suit jacket. There are three graphic circles behind her: one teal, one light green and one white..
  • Equality
  • Defending Democracy
Meet the Obama Leader making history for war victims in the Balkans

Hear directly from Adrijana Hanušić Bećirović as she talks about human rights and what the Obama Leadership program has meant to her.

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Michelle Obama addresses the Global Summit on Women's Empowerment in Dubai. Michelle Obama is sitting at a long table surrounded by three other women. The women are speaking to one and other and smiling.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Programs
In the News: The Girls Opportunity Alliance

Learn more about how the Girls Opportunity Alliance is working to empower and educate girls around the world

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There are three women on the right side of the image and three women on the left side of the image. In the center of the image, Michelle Obama is hugging a woman and facing the camera. Michelle Obama has curly hair and is wearing several rings. The woman she is hugging is facing opposite the camera – we cannot see her face – she has short curly hair and is wearing a beige sweater and black pants. In the background, several women with a range of light to deep skin tones and ages speak to one another. On the wall of the room is a poster that reads, “Girls Opportunity Alliance.” The poster has a border with short perpendicular lines in pink and light blue with a dark blue background.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Equality
Five women we’re celebrating for International Women’s Day

Meet five women making a difference with the help of the Girls Opportunity Alliance

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The Obama "O" logo surrounded by a blue Greek "key" pattern, also known as a meander, with the words "Athens 2023" beneath it.
  • Event
  • Leaders
Highlights from the Leaders conference in Athens

Get a look inside the week-long leadership and cultural experience.

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Leah Whitmoyer sorts olives with another woman with a medium skin tone and black hair on an olive farm in Taounate, Morocco. Three others stand in the background.
  • Sustainability
  • Voyagers
Voyager Scholar studies food and water insecurity in the United States

Voyager to tackle food and water insecurity during Summer Voyage

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President Obama sits at a table between two men and women with a range of skin tones and clothing styles. The President’s right arm is extended as he looks away from the camera.
  • Defending Democracy
  • Leaders
Meet the Leaders who joined President Obama in Berlin to discuss democracy

This week in Berlin, Germany, President Obama sat down with 18 alumni of our leadership programs from across Europe for a roundtable conversation about the importance of nurturing democracy.

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Mustika Wijaya stands with the Wekeke village chief and religious leader at the site of Solar Chapter’s pump installation. They are surrounded by rocks and construction.
  • Sustainability
  • Scholars
Obama scholar’s invention brings clean water to rural Indonesians

Obama Scholar creates clean water for rural Indonesians

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A young woman with a medium-deep skin tone and long black and brown hair, is shown in a school classroom holding multiple books.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Education
Kiran’s story

Read Kiran’s story from India.

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A young fairly sized women with deep skin, a small high top curly fro, and a small earing on her left ear holds a soccer ball. She is wearing a red addidas shirt, black adidas pants, and pick purple shoes. The setting is a rocky dirt field with short purple cones on the ground. A few deeper toned young girls with young hair to the side cut out by the frame. There is a rusted goal also cut out on the same side behind them.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Leaders
Thuba’s story

Thuba’s story

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A woman with medium-deep skin, long hair, eye shadow, and red lipstick lightly smiles. She has a camo military shirt on, a belt and jeans on. The setting is a classroom in ok condition.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Education
Laxmi’s story

Laxmi’s story

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In this picture a lady with a deep skin tone wearing a teal shirt and a light blue dress with flower patterns is shown sitting on a tree stump.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Equality
Rebecca’s story

Rebecca’s story

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In this picture, a man and a woman with a deep skin tone are shown in white lab shirts. The woman faces the camera while the man doesn't.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Education
Diana’s story

Watch Diana’s story from Malawi.

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A group of people carry bags and walk about three feet apart in a line. A cloudy blue sky can be seen behind them.
  • Take Action
  • Stories
How you can help the people of Ukraine

The impact of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has been devastating. And while the situation continues to escalate, so does the need for help—from emergency relief on the ground, to support for those fleeing to neighboring countries.

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In a gray suit and blue tie and a black mask, Rachid Ennassiri, leans to his left with President Obama nearby, leaning to the right. President Obama wears a black mask and has his arms crossed.
  • Sustainability
  • Barack Obama
President Obama meets with emerging leaders during COP26 in Glasgow

After delivering remarks during COP26 in Glasgow, President Obama sat down with a group of emerging leaders from around the world who are doing their part to protect the planet. Check out what they discussed.

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The Obama Foundation Logo
  • Take Action
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Ways to support women and girls in Afghanistan

Through our work with the Girls Opportunity Alliance, we are committed to supporting girls to have access to the education they need. We hope you'll take action to support them however you can.

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Nedgine high fives students.
  • Take Action
  • Donate
Haiti earthquake relief: how you can help

We put together a list of organizations in Haiti doing their part to care for their communities and support recovery efforts. We hope you’ll take action today:

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President Barack Obama talks with the inaugural class of Obama Scholars during their program kickoff retreat in Chicago, IL on Tuesday August 28, 2018.
  • Leaders
  • Changemakers
Celebrate President Obama’s 60th birthday by supporting the next generation of leaders!

On President Obama’s 60th birthday, get to know 60 changemakers in our network who are paving the way for a brighter future

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A group of women with medium skin tones sits in a circle on the ground while books lay in front of them
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Take Action
The pandemic represents a crisis for India’s girls. Meet some of the organizations working to support them.

Learn about organizations in the Girls Opportunity Alliance community that are helping girls in India to keep learning safely during the pandemic.

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A man with a deep skin tone wearing sunglasses and a white tee kisses the forehead of a young girl with a deep medium skin tone in a blue and white dress outdoors
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Changemakers
Celebrate Father’s Day with the girls Opportunity Alliance

This Father’s Day, meet dads around the world from the Girls Opportunity Alliance community who are supporting their daughters’ education and dreams.

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President Barack Obama signs the guest book at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, Japan, May 27, 2016.
  • Barack Obama
  • Watch
Young leaders continue peacebuilding 75 years after the atomic bombings

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, read the message President Obama released honoring the victims and survivors of the bombings and reflections from Obama Foundation Chief International Office

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A graphic displays a quote from President Obama that reads: "If there was ever a time in which community mobilization, organization, social networks, trust building, mutual support and aid were necessary now is the time. The whole point of forming the Obama Foundation and looking to build the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side was to foster those kinds of values and to promote that kind of unity and sense of common purpose...I've always believed that government is critical but it is not enough. Change comes from the bottom up."
  • Watch
  • Health & Wellbeing
How we’re responding in this time of need

Take a more detailed look at the Foundation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Three women work at a table chopping vegetables for preserving.
  • Take Action
  • Donate
Australian bushfires: how you can help

Since last Fall, devastating bushfires have ravaged New South Wales and other parts of Australia. In the wake of destruction, however, every day people have stepped up to do their part to support those impacted by the fires. That includes one of our very o

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Michelle Obama raises her arms up with four young girls. All are have different ethnicities and have a range of light to deep skin tones.
  • Michelle Obama
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Michelle Obama shares a special message for the International Day of the Girl

Mrs. Obama shared this message below to celebrate the International Day of the Girl and to announce some special news to mark the one year anniversary of the Girls Opportunity Alliance.

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President Obama participates in a roundtable meeting with local leaders at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Friday, May 31, 2019. Please credit "The Obama Foundation" when posting. The photographs may not be manipulated in any w
  • Leaders
  • Watch
President Obama talks accountability, leadership, and change with global leaders in Ottawa

It’s been a busy week for us at the Foundation! On Tuesday, we hosted a roundtable conversation in Bogotá with President Obama and a small group of Colombian changemakers who are working tirelessly to transform their communities.

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President Obama participates in a roundtable discussion with young leaders in Bogota, Colombia on May 29, 2019. Bogota, Colombia. Credit: The Obama Foundation Please credit "The Obama Foundation" when posting. The photographs may not be manipulated in any
  • Leaders
  • Event
Meet the 11 emerging leaders who joined President Obama for a conversation in Bogotá

From Cali to Quibdó, Medellín to María la Baja, the 11 emerging leaders President Obama met with yesterday in Bogotá are carrying forward the hard work of change across Colombia.

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Obama Foundation Meeting October 5th, 2017. Sao Paulo - Brazil Pictures by Anna Carolina Negri
  • Changemakers
  • Event
Two years later, catch up with the leaders President Obama met in Brazil

When President Obama sat down with eleven emerging leaders from across Brazil for a conversation about their work in the fall of 2017, he was eager to learn more about their work

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A young boy with a light skin tone and black hair wears a red shirt. Next to him is a woman with a light skin tone, blue hair, and glasses wearing business attire. Lastly, another woman with a light skin tone and red glasses wears a plaid shirt. The three of them stand in front of a historic building smiling. Below the image, a text reads "Ana Matia Gonzalez-Forero"
  • Newsletter
  • Leaders
Celebrating moms around the world

This Mother's Day, we sent the message below to our full email list lifting up the incredible moms in our programs who are making their communities a better place for all—and raising the next generation of changemakers at the same time.

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First Lady Michelle Obama, in celebration of International Day of the Girl and Let Girls Learn, participates in Glamour's "A Brighter Future: A Global Conversation on Girls Education" in conjunction with Glamour's "The Girl Project." Actress and activist Y
  • Newsletter
  • Changemakers
Celebrating International Women’s Day

To celebrate International Women's Day, we sent the message below to our email list lifting up the work of Obama Foundation program participants who are carrying forward the hard work of helping women and girls around the world chase their dreams.

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A woman with a medium-deep skin tone and short blonde hair stands holding and showing a menstral cup to a man with a deep skin tone under a white tent.
  • Scholars
  • Leaders
When worlds collide: Obama Foundation Scholar and African Leader team up to help African women

When Robert Katende from the Leaders: Africa program met Vanessa Paranjothy, an Obama Scholar at Columbia University, at the 2018 Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, they discovered an opportunity to team up to help their communities.

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Please credit "The Obama Foundation" when posting. The photographs may not be manipulated in any way, and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement
  • Leaders
  • Asia-Pacific
Meet the leaders at the Asia-Pacific program design workshop Hawaiʻi

Get to know the 21 leaders from 16 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific who are helping us design future programming in the region.

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President Barack Obama holds a press conference at the APEC summit at the JW Marriott Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011.
  • Leaders
  • Asia-Pacific
Designing the Asia-Pacific Leaders Program

With the help of Foundation supporters and other key stakeholders from the Hawaiʻi community, 21 leaders from across the Asia-Pacific will gather in Hawaiʻi to help design future Obama Foundation programming in the region.

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On Mandela Day, Wednesday, July 18, the Obama Foundation and The Honeycomb Project team up on the shores of Lake Michigan for a sunset beach clean up. We measure beach health, clear the boardwalk, collect garbage, and make a positive impact at Rainbow in t
  • Newsletter
  • Community Engagement
Celebrating Mandela Day in Chicago

As the 200 emerging African leaders we brought together as part of our Leaders: Africa convening to exchange ideas on how to create positive change in their communities carried out a service project to celebrate Mandela Day, we did the same right here in C

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The camera focuses on a smiling woman with a light medium skin tone and black hair while she wears a blue top. Around her is other women ranigng from light to deep medium skin tones.
  • Obama Fellows
  • Health & Wellbeing
Recognizing World Refugee Day by meeting one of our fellows

In recognition of World Refugee Day—and to kick off a new Q&A series featuring the inaugural class of Obama Foundation Fellows

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Obama Foundation Meeting Ceremony March 22nd, 2018. Auckland - New Zealand Pictures by Maxim Lemeshenko
  • Stories
  • Barack Obama
President Obama’s visit to New Zealand

On Friday, March 23rd, President Obama met with a group of 20 Maori women from the Wahine Toa (Women Leaders) network in New Zealand

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President Obama greets Ganesh Muren at the roundtable conversation in Singapore on March 19, 2018.
  • Stories
  • Barack Obama
President Obama’s visit to Singapore

On Monday, March 19, President Obama met with a small group of emerging leaders from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to hear about the work they are doing in their communities

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