Porticus

What happens when philanthropy remains intentional, patient, and rooted in local knowledge? In Kakuma, Kenya, a long-term investment in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has helped children build confidence, strengthen wellbeing, and engage more fully in their education. But the story doesn't stop there. Through sustained partnerships with teachers, families, Refugee-Led Organisations, and government, that work has contributed to broader changes in how education is supported and delivered. Our latest video explores the power of local leadership, long-term commitment, and the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. Watch the full video: https://lnkd.in/eEkkMRmT

Across Guatemala, poverty and inequality shape everyday life. With 56% of the population living below the national poverty line, many small and medium enterprises, a vital source of jobs and local income, face persistent barriers to growth, particularly when it comes to accessing finance and markets. Alterna, a Guatemalan organisation rooted in local communities, works alongside entrepreneurs to overcome these challenges. For more than a decade, Alterna has supported social and environmentally focused enterprises to strengthen their business models, expand into new markets, and access affordable finance. With the support of Porticus, through Argidius Foundation, Alterna provides hands‑on training, tailored financial solutions, and long‑term accompaniment, helping entrepreneurs build resilient businesses that create jobs, support families, and contribute to their communities. 👉Learn more about how Argidius and partners like Alterna are unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs in Guatemala: https://lnkd.in/eTzhKuBP

Focusing on equitable and enduring solutions for tropical forests and the communities that steward them, Forests, People, Climate (FPC), a collaborative of philanthropic funders, recently launched the report “Progress Despite Pressure.” The report highlights how partners across the Brazilian Amazon, Indonesia, and the Congo Basin are advancing community rights, strengthening forest protection, and shifting finance toward standing forests. In 2025 alone, FPC and aligned donors directed USD 277.5 million to 371 organisations, an increase of more than 80% from the previous year. At Porticus, we support efforts to protect, restore, and sustainably manage forests alongside the communities that depend on them. The report tells stories of resilience, adaptation, and steady progress in a field navigating disruption while building toward something more durable. A powerful reminder of what collective action can achieve! Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ezRJdiMZ

What role can education play in helping young people navigate uncertainty? Across the Middle East, schools are operating in complex contexts shaped by conflict, displacement, and economic pressure. Yet they remain vital spaces, not just for learning, but for rebuilding stability, resilience, and a sense of belonging. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an increasingly important part of this response, helping students develop the skills to cope and adapt, while supporting teachers in addressing diverse classroom needs. In Lebanon, World Learning is working with national stakeholders to strengthen the integration of SEL into teaching and learning, grounded in local realities. Read the full story to learn more about this partnership and its impact: https://lnkd.in/ekuw3-9x

We’re delighted to welcome Katy Hartley to the Porticus Management Team as Director of Organisational Strategy and Regional Networks! With over 25 years of experience across philanthropy, strategy and partnership building, Katy joins us from Laudes Foundation, where she led strategy and foresight, driving innovation and futures thinking. In her new role, Katy will help strengthen connections across regions and sectors, supporting greater adaptability and impact in our work worldwide. "After nearly a decade working across this family of philanthropic organisations, stepping into this role feels like both a homecoming and a new beginning. I am deeply grateful for everything I have learned at Laudes Foundation, and genuinely excited to bring that experience to bear in Porticus." Welcome, Katy, we’re excited for what’s ahead.

Art can be transformative, sparking imagination, restoring dignity and bringing people together in times of change. Through Community Arts Lab (CAL), Porticus supports work that harnesses the power of art to build bridges, connecting people and perspectives, and opening pathways toward more just, resilient and inclusive futures.   The Climate Biennial in Avilés, Spain, is a powerful example of what becomes possible through long‑term collaboration. Bringing together more than forty artists alongside educators and communities, it explores climate not as an abstract crisis, but as a lived, social and territorial reality embedded in landscapes, infrastructures and collective memory. Through exhibitions, residencies and community‑led initiatives, it creates space for dialogue, learning and collective responses to ecological transition.   Initiated alongside a growing network of cultural and territorial partners, what began as the design of a new kind of biennial has evolved into a shared public endeavour, now carried forward by the Municipality of Avilés and regional and national partners.   The Biennial will take place in Avilés, Asturias, from June 12 to September 20, 2026. Learn more and discover what to expect here: https://lnkd.in/eYmBRnJW Atelier itd

Strengthening small businesses starts with strengthening the systems that support them. This example from Nigeria shows how the Argidius Foundation’s SCALE framework is being applied to build more effective and sustainable Enterprise Support Organisations, with tangible results for SMEs and job creation. As part of Porticus, Argidius Foundation works to support this kind of systems-level change, helping improve how enterprise support is delivered across ecosystems. Encouraging to see this approach gaining traction, where stronger support organisations can unlock more inclusive and lasting economic growth. 👇 Read more below

Partner with us to strengthen learning across our Faith Sector challenges. Porticus is launching an RFP to identify Learning Partner(s) to support our Faith Sector across three key global challenges: ▪️ Building a Vital Church ▪️ Child Protection ▪️ Vital Catholic Thought We are seeking partners with strong expertise in strategic Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), systems thinking, and developmental evaluation. Working closely with our global programme teams, you will support the generation of meaningful evidence, strengthen collective learning, and inform adaptive decision‑making across diverse contexts worldwide. If you bring a collaborative approach and a commitment to learning that drives impact and change, we invite you to submit a proposal. 👉 Find out more on our website: https://lnkd.in/etPD_DZX Applications close: 15 May 2026

“I just wanted someone who could understand me.” When Ruth Kamande arrived at Lang’ata Women’s Prison facing a death sentence, her future felt sealed. In the midst of fear and uncertainty, she longed for someone who would listen and guide her through what lay ahead. That support arrived through Justice Defenders. Their model of equipping people living and working in prison with legal knowledge is opening pathways to justice where it is often least accessible. Through their legal education programme, Ruth gained the tools to navigate the system, support others with their cases, and rebuild her sense of possibility. After years of study supported by Justice Defenders’ educators, she has now completed her University of London law degree from within the prison system. Stories like hers highlight how access to legal knowledge can transform not only individual lives but entire prison communities. 👉 Dive deeper into Ruth’s journey, and learn more about Justice Defenders: https://lnkd.in/eyKSjyHE

With International Day of Forests coming up, we celebrate the partners proving that forests are not only ecological treasures, they are powerful engines of resilient economies. Forests support the livelihoods, nutrition, income, and resilience of billions of people. Yet despite their immense economic and social value, forests remain underfunded and undervalued in investment decisions. At Porticus, we work with partners who demonstrate that when local communities lead — and when forests are protected, restored, and wisely managed — both people and nature thrive. From strengthening the Amazon bioeconomy, to restoring degraded land, to expanding agroforestry models that increase family incomes, our partners' work illustrates that healthy forests and healthy communities go hand in hand. Swipe through to explore the stories of some of our partners driving this vision forward and reach out to collaborate or learn more. #InternationalDayOfForests Idesam | Café Apuí Agroflorestal | Rioterra | Fairventures Social Forestry Indonesia