Winrock International

10/19/2026

💡 is central to Winrock International’s work to create economic opportunity and build stronger, more resilient communities.

Announcing that Katie Milligan-Dixon has joined Winrock International as director of U.S. Entrepreneurship, leading a growing area of our U.S. work and an important part of Winrock’s strategic approach.

“Our entrepreneurship work has always focused first on creating opportunity, strengthening communities and helping people find the right tools and connections they need to build their own futures,” said Maqsoda Maqsodi, Winrock’s president and CEO. “Katie brings deep experience in entrepreneurship and economic development, and a real understanding of rural communities. We’re excited she has joined our team to help lead the next chapter of this critical work.”

Welcome to Winrock, Katie!

🌱 Meet Katie and read the full announcement: https://winrock.org/katie-milligan-dixon-joins-winrock-international-as-director-of-u-s-entrepreneurship/

08/20/2026

🌏 𝗡𝗲𝘁 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

As an Ecosystem Partner for the Net Zero Challenge 2026, Winrock International is excited to help connect innovators with opportunities to test and scale solutions that can strengthen communities, reduce emissions and support durable economic growth.

Organized by .vc and Temasek Foundation, the NZ026 challenge is offering up to 15 billion VND (approximately $570,000 USD) in non-dilutive grant funding for climate-tech startups ready to pilot their solutions in Vietnam.

Applications are open across three tracks:
⚡ Renewable Energy & Carbon Neutrality
🌾 Food Systems & Sustainable Agriculture
♻️ Circular Economy & Waste Management

Know a founder working on one of these challenges? Please tag them below!
🔗 https://netzerochallenge.vn/
🗓️ Applications close Aug. 31, 2026

The Net Zero Challenge is a global climate technology innovation competition aimed at finding solutions to tackle climate change in Vietnam.

08/19/2026

🌳 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲

What does it take to turn forest conservation commitments into action?

Around the world, Winrock is helping governments build the foundations for large-scale forest conservation, strengthening the data, systems and partnerships needed to attract investment and deliver results.

Winrock’s Pedro Piffer shared insights from recent work in Brazil and Mexico, including helping to launch the Jurisdictional REDD+ Technical Assistance Partnership, a new effort designed to help jurisdictions advance and scale forest protection programs.

🔗 Read more: https://winrock.org/two-projects-one-goal-helping-countries-unlock-finance-to-protect-their-forests/

08/13/2026

🎙️ New Episode: WISIONS Innovation Lab Podcast

What does it take to ensure rural energy systems deliver long-term benefits for communities?

In Episode 2 of the WISIONS Innovation Lab Podcast, Winrock International Nepal Country Director Badri Nath Baral joins Dr. Willington Ortiz of the Wuppertal Institute to discuss how an integrated approach is helping reimagine the role of micro-hydropower in Nepal.

The conversation explores how renewable energy, electric cooking, electric mobility, landscape management, and community-led action can work together to strengthen rural energy systems and create new opportunities for communities.

You'll also hear lessons from WISIONS' work in Baglung and Jumla, including efforts to revive underutilized micro-hydro systems through productive energy use, local government coordination, research-driven solutions, and community ownership.

This episode reflects a key part of Winrock's strategic vision: partnering with communities to scale practical solutions that strengthen resilience and create lasting impact.

🎧 Watch or listen now: https://youtu.be/6-mFh4PzBCU?si=gmx6adOVPDB8_Kfq

WISIONS of sustainability

This conversation explores how an integrated approach is helping re...

08/11/2026

The latest edition of Winrock "Innovations" is here.

This month, we're highlighting the people, partnerships, and ideas driving lasting impact around the world:

🌰 Meet the entrepreneur behind a growing cashew processing business in Côte d'Ivoire and learn how WEECAP is helping create opportunity across West Africa.

💡 Explore Colin Quinn's perspective on how local knowledge and market-based approaches can unlock investment for communities and ecosystems.

🤝 Hear directly from Winrock experts about what it takes to prevent human trafficking, support survivors, and strengthen the systems that protect vulnerable people.

🌳 Learn how Winrock is helping countries connect forest conservation with financing that supports long-term protection and resilience.

🔗 Read the newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/august26
📩 Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/newsletter

08/06/2026

🌏 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘁 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿

We're thrilled to have been invited by Touchstone Partners and Temasek Foundation to serve as an Ecosystem Partner for the Net Zero Challenge 2026!

The N026 challenge seeks innovative climate-tech solutions that can be piloted in Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia's most dynamic markets for climate innovation.

This competition is laser-focused on real impact in emerging Asia, including:
🌱 Renewable energy & carbon removal
🌾 Food systems & sustainable agriculture
♻️ Circular economy & waste management

As an Ecosystem Partner, Winrock International is promoting this opportunity through our networks and helping to connect promising innovators working on climate, agriculture, energy and nature-based solutions with the challenge.

Here’s what’s on the table:
🚀 Up to 15 billion VND (about $570,000) in non-dilutive grants for pilot projects
🤝 Opportunities to engage with investors, corporations and regulators
📅 Application deadline: Aug. 31, 2026

With over four decades of experience in more than 60 countries across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, Winrock has seen firsthand how locally relevant innovations and tech help advance sustainable agriculture, clean energy, forest conservation and climate solutions.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://netzerochallenge.vn/

The Net Zero Challenge is a global climate technology innovation competition aimed at finding solutions to tackle climate change in Vietnam.

08/05/2026

🌍 Building opportunity through stronger cashew value chains in Côte d’Ivoire

The latest installment of highlights how investing in local businesses, women and agricultural markets can strengthen rural communities for generations to come.

Our newest story follows a cashew processing company led by Frédérique Gueï in Côte d'Ivoire that is creating jobs, expanding local processing capacity and opening new opportunities for women and young people—demonstrating how market-driven solutions can build more resilient local economies.

💬 Frédérique said, “I never lost faith in my project or in the quality of what we were capable of delivering. The demand for our products was there; what we needed was the financing required to truly unlock our potential.”

Through Weecap (Women's Economic Empowerment through Cashew Processing), we're working to create 330,000 jobs across Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal while strengthening more competitive, inclusive and resilient agricultural value chains.

📖 Read the story to see how local leadership is driving change: http://winrock.org/how-a-cashew-processing-company-is-growing-opportunity-in-cote-divoire/

08/04/2026

Trafficking is changing—and so must the response.

In observance of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Winrock International's Ashshash project convened a national event in Bangladesh under this year's global theme, "Trapped Behind the Scam." As trafficking increasingly begins online through fraudulent job offers and deceptive messages, the event brought together government, law enforcement, the private sector, media, civil society, and survivor leaders to strengthen collaboration against digital trafficking.

A key outcome was the adoption of the "Dhaka Call to Action on Combating Digital Trafficking," outlining five commitments to strengthen prevention, survivor inclusion, digital monitoring, financial tracking, and cross-border cooperation.

The event also recognized organizations and individuals creating pathways for survivors through employment, entrepreneurship, financing, and advocacy—demonstrating that lasting solutions are built through partnership.

Ashshash - for men and women who have escaped trafficking, is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh. The project operates across ten of Bangladesh's most trafficking-prone districts.

🔗 Learn more about Ashshash here: https://winrock.org/projects/ashshash-2/

08/04/2026

She was lured at a faraway country with the promise of a better life.

Saleha wasn't approached by a stranger in her village. She was approached the way most people are now - through a screen. A message. An opportunity that looked real enough to reach out and grasp, from someone who seemed trustworthy. By the time she understood what was happening, she was already in another country. Alone. And what had been promised as work was something else entirely…

This is what "Trapped Behind the Scam" means - this year's theme for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, and the reality behind thousands of stories like Saleha's. Trafficking no longer begins with force. It begins with a lie that appears on your newsfeeds…

But this is not where Saleha’s story ended.

Today, Saleha is an entrepreneur. She runs her own business. She earns her own income. She employs her own confidence, hard-won and entirely hers.

Ashshash, Winrock International's counter-trafficking project in Bangladesh, provided counselling to Saleha when she came home, skills training when she was ready, and capital and market linkages when she had a plan.

Watch Saleha tell her own story. 🎥

08/03/2026

🎙️ New Podcast Series: Future of Micro Hydro Plants in Nepal

For decades, micro hydropower has helped power rural communities across hashtag . But as the national grid expands, these systems have an opportunity to evolve—not disappear.

In the first episode of the video podcast series, produced through the WISIONS of sustainability, Winrock Nepal Country Director Badri Nath Baral explores how grid interconnection can strengthen the long-term sustainability, productivity and financial viability of micro hydropower systems.

The conversation also highlights the successful grid connection of three micro hydro plants and discusses the policies, partnerships and community-led approaches that can help shape Nepal's clean energy future.

🎧 Watch Episode 1 and join the conversation: https://youtu.be/XOJ_WGxCcKo?si=6wS8Ofo-08Vkotv5

The discussion highlights how micro hydropower plants have supporte...