Global reach stories

Michelle Obama sits in an online conversation with a girls’ education leader from Nepal who has dark hair pulled back and is wearing a teal shirt and glasses. The two smile in conversation together.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Watch
Mrs. Obama joins the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network for virtual conversation

Watch grassroots leaders from Botswana, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Barbados, and Nepal share their impact empowering girls worldwide with Mrs. Obama.

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Joséphine Goube, a tall woman with a light skin tone and dark hair, smiles as she faces an audience. She is wearing a tan blazer and white top. Behind her is a sign that reads, “Sistech.”
  • Scholars
  • Changemakers
How one Obama Scholar promotes pluralism through her work with refugee women

Hear from Joséphine Goube on how her nonprofit, Sistech, helps foster connections between refugee women and professionals, breaking stereotypes and building mutual understanding

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Filip Koprčina, a man with a light skin tone and dark brown hair, poses near a solar panel grid. He is smiling and wearing a red windbreaker jacket.
  • Leaders
  • Equality
Obama Leader on a mission to make clean energy accessible in Croatia

Learn how Filip Koprčina is using blockchain to democratize renewable energy through co-ownership of solar and wind farms.

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A Black woman wearing a blue sweatshirt and floral leggings holds a yoga pose. She is encircled by a group of adolescent Black girls wearing matching maroon shirts and holding the same pose. They are a range of light to dark skin tones.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Youth
Girls Opportunity Alliance provides more than $1 million in support on International Day of the Girl

Learn how the Alliance is joining forces with 26 organizations serving adolescent girls in Chicago and around the world

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Indigenous girls of the Sacred Valley Project work on school activities together at a long table covered in books, worksheets, colorful markers, and other school supplies.
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  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Meet the Girls of Sacred Valley Project

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports secondary education for girls in rural Peru.

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Brenda, a young Tanzanian girl with a dark skin tone, raises her hand among her classmates. The group is outside and Brenda wears a school uniform with a white collared shirt, striped tie, and sweater. They are all a range of medium to dark skin tones.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Brenda’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports community-driven solutions that advance equality and climate justice in Tanzania.

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Betty, a young woman with a dark skin tone, turns around and poses for the photo while walking down a dirt path. She is wearing a striped yellow shirt, a black backpack, and has dyed pink hair.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Betty’s story

See how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports STEM education for Kenyan girls with disabilities.

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Elpida Kokkota, a woman with a light skin tone, holds a closed lip smile. She has long black hair and is wearing red lipstick, bracelets on both arms, a white shirt, and floral skirt.
  • Leaders
  • Changemakers
Obama Leaders join forces across continents to create global opportunities for women

More than 140,000 women across 155 countries have educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, thanks to the 2023 Obama Leaders.

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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.
  • Voyagers
  • 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 landscape scene shows severe damage, with concrete road and bridge structures in massive heaps above a narrow pathway cleared in the rubble. A group of people of varying skin tones are seen at a distance wearing headscarves and assorted clothing near a small bulldozer. A body of brown water is shown on the right with rubble and debris along the shore.
  • Take Action
  • Stories
Take action to help those affected by the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake and its aftershocks hit Türkiye and Syria beginning on Monday, February 6, 2023.

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A large visual of "2022" with blue and green ombre numbers and white background.
  • Stories
  • Programs
Inspiring hope. Taking action.

As we reflect on this year, we couldn’t be more proud of the work of our global network of leaders who are tackling some of the most vital issues of our time and working together to strengthen their communities and our institutions.

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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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White text that reads "Obama Foundation Democracy Forum" on a mostly blue sunset background.
  • Defending Democracy
  • Equality
The Obama Foundation Democracy Forum

Watch highlights from the first-ever Democracy Forum held in New York City.

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President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama shake hands with Queen Elizabeth.
  • In memoriam
  • Stories
A legacy of tireless, dignified public service

Revisiting President and Mrs. Obama’s moments with Queen Elizabeth II.

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A woman with a neutral skin tone sitting at a desk with a computer in front of her
  • Changemakers
  • Europe
Ukraine stories – Yuliia Sachuk

Disability rights activist and Obama Leader Yuliia Sachuk was in her apartment in Kyiv the night of February 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine.

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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
  • Stories
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.
  • Barack Obama
  • Watch
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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A group of people wearing mask sit around a table in conversation.
  • Leaders
  • Europe
Obama Foundation: Leaders Europe program concludes with collaborative projects across the region

To mark the end of our inaugural Leaders Europe program, our 35 Leaders came together to design collaborative projects to support the civic engagement of other emerging leaders across Europe.

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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."
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  • 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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An illustration of four people with a range of light to deep skin tones lifting one another up on top of a paper plane. The background is pink.

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