Winrock International

07/22/2026

🌍 The Director's Take: Colin Quinn on Investable Resilience

What does it take to build resilience that lasts?

In the latest installment of The Director's Take, Colin Quinn, director of Winrock's Environment portfolio, shares how Winrock is evolving its approach to create solutions that are not only effective—but investable, scalable and built for long-term impact.

As part of our 2026–2028 strategic plan, we're focusing on strengthening rural communities and the ecosystems they depend on by:
🌱 Designing market-based solutions that attract investment
🤝 Connecting private-sector commitments with community priorities
🌎 Scaling practical approaches in clean energy, regenerative agriculture, forest conservation and circular economy
📈 Delivering systems-level change

From supporting women entrepreneurs with solar-powered grain mills in Ethiopia to advancing landscape-scale forest conservation across Latin America and helping strengthen regenerative agriculture in the U.S., Winrock is proving that resilience grows stronger when local expertise, science and sustainable finance come together.

As Colin puts it, resilience isn't just about solving today's challenges—it's about creating models that communities can own, investors can support and future generations can build on.

Read Colin's perspective and learn how Winrock is rethinking what lasting impact looks like. ➡️ https://winrock.org/the-directors-take-colin-quinn-on-investable-resilience/

07/17/2026

🌍 Read our latest 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 for updates on Winrock’s impactful work around the world: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/july26

📩 Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/newsletter

07/16/2026

📱🤝 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗵

A new initiative led by Winrock International's Ashshash II project is featured in national media in Bangladesh, including in The Daily Star. Through a partnership with one of the largest telecommunications service providers in Bangladesh, Banglalink Digital, survivors of human trafficking are gaining skills and opportunities to diversify their income generation by helping members of their communities gain access to Banglalink’s digital services, including mobile talk-time. Through the Banglalink Power app, survivors who often face difficulty accessing formal employment can earn income by acting as local digital retailers.

This collaboration reflects Ashshash II's broader focus on sustainable economic reintegration for survivors of trafficking, combining livelihood opportunities, digital skills, and strategic private-sector engagement to help build long-term resilience. Ashshash II is implemented by Winrock with funding from the Swiss Development & Cooperation in and works to support the reintegration of trafficking survivors.

As Dipta Raksh*t, Winrock's country representative in Bangladesh and project director for Ashshash II, explained:

"Building digital skills is essential for creating sustainable livelihood opportunities, particularly for vulnerable groups such as survivors of human trafficking. Through this partnership, we aim to equip the men and women empowered by Ashshash across 10 of the most trafficking-prone districts in Bangladesh with practical knowledge that enables them to confidently use digital tools and strengthen their economic resilience."

📰 Read more in The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/news/banglalink-teams-winrock-support-trafficking-survivors-4219286

Country’s leading digital operator Banglalink has partnered with US-based nonprofit organisation Winrock International to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for survivors of human trafficking through the Banglalink Power app.

07/13/2026

🌾 We're excited to welcome Mary Fales as director of U.S. Agriculture at Winrock International.

A recognized leader in regenerative agriculture, conservation and food systems, Mary brings more than 20 years of experience building partnerships, advancing sustainable farming practices and creating opportunities for farmers and rural communities. In her role, she'll guide Winrock's U.S. Agriculture work and lead the Wallace Center at Winrock International to continue strengthening resilient, community-centered food systems across the country. 🚜🌱

Please join us in welcoming Mary to the team!

🔗 Read the announcement: https://winrock.org/mary-fales-named-winrock-internationals-director-of-u-s-agriculture/

07/07/2026

🌾 | Keeping food close to home, strengthening rural communities

What happens when local farmers have reliable markets, fresh food stays in the community, and regional partnerships grow stronger?

Resilience.

Across the U.S. South and Midwest, Winrock is working with farmers, food hubs, Tribal organizations and community partners to strengthen local food systems that create lasting economic opportunity while improving access to healthy, locally produced food.

From food hubs in North Carolina and Texas to the Cheyenne River Buffalo Company in South Dakota, these stories show how investing in local production, local purchasing and local partnerships helps rural communities thrive.

This work reflects Winrock's 2026–2028 strategic plan: centering community voices, strengthening agriculture, and building the systems rural communities depend on to prosper.

Every local purchase supports more than a meal—it helps farmers invest in their businesses, keeps dollars circulating locally, and builds food systems that are better prepared for future challenges.

Read the latest and discover how community-led food systems are creating lasting resilience across rural America. ⬇️

https://winrock.org/keeping-food-close-to-home-how-local-purchasing-power-strengthens-rural-u-s-communities/

07/05/2026

06/25/2026

🌳 The Climate Q&A with Rajesh Bista

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲?

In the latest edition of our Climate Q&A series, Rajesh Bista shares insights from Winrock's work helping governments strengthen the systems needed to monitor forests, measure climate impacts and access high-integrity climate finance.

From forest carbon accounting and MRV systems to building local capacity and supporting jurisdictional REDD+ programs, Rajesh discusses why strong institutions, reliable data and long-term partnerships are essential for lasting conservation outcomes.

This work reflects Winrock's strategic focus on strengthening the environmental ecosystems that rural communities depend on while advancing practical, scalable climate solutions.

📖 Read the full Q&A: https://winrock.org/the-climate-qa-with-rajesh-bista-building-the-systems-countries-need-to-protect-forests-at-scale/

06/23/2026

🌍 Read our latest 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 for updates on Winrock’s impactful work around the world: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/may26-4910722

📩 Subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/winrock/newsletter

06/11/2026

⚽ 🟥 World Day Against Child Labor 2026

The International Labour Organization’s theme this year is "Red Card to Child Labor: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults" highlighting the critical link between unacceptable child labor, the need to protect children, and sustainable livelihoods for adults. Today is a reminder that protecting children requires collective action. As the world prepares for the FIFA World Cup, partners across travel, tourism and sports are stepping up through initiatives like — helping communities recognize and prevent exploitation.

Since 2002, Winrock and our local partners have worked in more than 25 countries to protect over 75,000 children from exploitative child labor in sectors including cocoa, cotton, tea, to***co, rubber and fisheries, while supporting more than 134,000 households.

Our approach focuses on the whole family: helping parents access sustainable livelihoods, strengthening education and protection for children, and partnering with governments, businesses and communities to build lasting solutions. By improving agricultural productivity, strengthening supply chain safeguards and addressing the root causes of child labor, we're helping create pathways to resilience for children and their families.

➡️ Swipe through to see examples of results from our work in , , , and — and join us in showing a red card to child labor.

06/10/2026

🎙️ The Director's Take

We're launching a new series featuring perspectives from Winrock leaders on the issues shaping our work around the world.

In our first installment, Stephanie Lillegard, our Human Rights portfolio director, shares why lasting systems change must be rooted in human rights and how protecting people from trafficking, child labor and exploitation helps build stronger, more resilient communities.

As Winrock's new strategic plan focuses on strengthening rural communities and the systems they depend on, Stephanie explores why human rights safeguards are not separate from resilience; they're foundational to it.

💬 "We know that 61% of all child labor is an agricultural supply chains. In addition to working to improve agricultural productivity and improve livelihoods, we are integrating safeguards that reduce exploitation of workers who are often seasonal and part of an informal and often invisible workforce."

Read Stephanie's perspective: https://winrock.org/the-directors-take-stephanie-lillegard-on-centering-human-rights-within-systems-change/