Her Rise Above: More Than Just Business – Building Confidence & Community

by Erica Luna

TheOneHourProject is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Her Rise Above, a Singapore-based initiative empowering women who are financially challenged to become successful home-based entrepreneurs.

Her Rise Above, also known as HRA, supports a unique group of women they call Risers in Singapore. “Women choose home-based businesses to supplement their household income while providing much-needed flexibility as they juggle caregiving responsibilities or while overcoming health issues or challenging life situations,” says HRA’s Co-Founder, Sapna K. Malhotra. “Our mission is to equip Risers with the skills, knowledge, and resources to achieve their goals,” she states.

HRA was established in 2019 after their pivotal experience assisting a baker. Guided by a passionate volunteer manager and social worker, HRA identified a critical need among women for business skills. As Sapna narrates, “Through our journey with this lady, we learned many women required essential skills in business such as managing costs & accounts, pricing products to stay competitive and marketing strategy, to name a few.” To ensure a comprehensive approach, HRA aligned its efforts with The Company of Good Fellowship, a program under Singapore’s National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre.

Their team has empowered 40 women through its one-on-one mentorship program, with 18 continuing to successfully operate their own businesses. Demonstrating the program’s measurable impact, over one-third of these entrepreneurs are single mothers, while two-thirds are stay-at-home moms often juggling the care of children, including those with special needs. Additionally, some participants face personal health challenges themselves. The nonprofit’s efforts contribute to measurable success such as increased income, community collaboration, and intangible benefits such as increased confidence and resourcefulness. Based on data, their average Riser has three dependents, meaning HRA’s impact extends to multiple lives.

Just like the Risers, the HRA team had to rise to the occasion. At first, justifying their coaching model against classroom-based courses was difficult. But the pandemic, while initially disruptive, actually helped them shift to a successful virtual e-learning platform. “In hindsight, this period helped us to pivot into an online model for learning which has been so effective. It has also increased awareness of the importance of supporting small and local,” Sapna declares. In addition, identifying suitable candidates for the Riser program remains a significant challenge for HRA. Sapna reveals, “Understanding who should and should not be a Riser is crucial. We inadvertently included women primarily interested in hobbies during our early stages. However, we have since implemented a refined “Riser Intake” process to prioritize individuals committed to growing their businesses.” This strategic adjustment has significantly reduced participant dropout rates.

HRA believes in the proven power of personalized guidance, especially for women finding formal full-time employment difficult alongside their caregiving needs. To add, Sapna shares, “Each business is very unique, and the level of the lady and her aspirations are also unique. I believe what has been most effective is the relationship that is formed with one-on-one interactions. It is very supportive – like a “cheerleader” and “tribe.”

Her Rise Above team’s passionate team sees the bigger picture. They are committed to championing the power of self-mastery for people facing financial challenges. Hinting future developments, Sapna reveals, “We are planning an initiative that reaches out to the larger community of women who are financially challenged, with more news to come in 2025.”

Join Her Rise Above and TheOneHourProject to support these remarkable females as they build successful businesses and brighter futures for themselves and their families. Her Rise Above needs the following volunteers: