Stories & Insights

When we first shared the story of the Wisconsin Labs for Environment and Democracy, or WiLEAD, the labs were still unfolding. Students were mapping environmental challenges, building relationships with community partners, and designing small experiments to test what might move people from concern to action. Now, after a full year of work across three labs,

WiLEAD labs are now underway, and across Wisconsin, students, professors, community organizers, and local leaders are rolling up their sleeves to bridge divides and co-create solutions to the state’s most pressing environmental challenges. Each lab is a living experiment in how people can come together—across sectors, generations, and differences—to tackle shared problems while strengthening local

In June 2025, a team from Root Change, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, convened the Community Power Studio in Accra, Ghana. Over the course of a week, community leaders from across the United States, Africa, and Latin America gathered to reimagine who produces knowledge, how it is created, and why it matters.

In over 60 communities across the United States, a powerful experiment in economic development is taking root. Fellows are embedded in local host organizations, working on everything from brownfield redevelopment to outdoor recreation. Host organization staff are advising, collaborating, and planning for long-term impact. And a small group of national partners is supporting it all—helping

In summer 2025, community leaders, activists, and organizers from the United States, across Africa, and Latin America came together in Accra, Ghana for something new: the Community Power Studio. For one week, participants set aside the usual routines of workshops and reports to try a bold experiment—what happens when grassroots leaders are not just invited

This summer, the dusty grounds of Traditional Authority (T/A) Chikowi in Zomba, Malawi transformed into a vibrant stage of celebration, hope, and transformation. The Community Independence Initiative (CII), a bold project by Root Change, held its first-ever Graduation Ceremony. This was a powerful moment marking two years of resilience, growth, and community empowerment. Launched in

The 2025 Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) Annual Retreat, which was hosted by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and facilitated by Root Change, proved to be a resounding success! The retreat brought together 58 fellows, 30 host site representatives, and 14 National Partners from January 27-31 in Puerto Rico. This learning exchange aimed to elevate

At Root Change, we believe that community power is the foundation for lasting social transformation. In 2023, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we launched the Community Power Group Learning Initiative (CPLI) —a global coalition that brings together organizers and community leaders from diverse backgrounds, both in the U.S. and internationally, to transform

Our country is more divided than ever, with too many of us isolated from those who hold different views. This division harms our communities, disrupts our families, and prevents us from working together for the common good. Between April 2023 and September 2024, Root Change and The Carter Center launched an ambitious effort  in Arizona,

Since its launch in June 2023, Root Change’s Community Independence Initiative (CII) has been making waves in Malawi. Designed to empower families and foster sustainable development, the initiative has already shown impressive results. Initially 50 families were selected to participate and receive a monthly stipend of 25 USD. After six months, each family received an

Root Change is thrilled to celebrate the completion of the first-ever youth Social Labs cohort, which took place in Phnom Penh, Cambodia as part of the USAID Advancing Youth Leadership (AYL) Program! Over four months, twelve teams of ambitious young people came together to address some of their community’s most pressing challenges. The projects that

Root Change’s Social Lab initiative is empowering communities to bridge divides, foster connections, combat disinformation and tackle the rise of extreme rhetoric through innovative, grassroots solutions. Across the country, diverse teams of everyday citizens are coming together to experiment with creative ways to reduce polarization and build stronger communities. From organizing community debates that blend

Since June 2023, Root Change has been supporting the Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba, Malawi with 50 families. At the heart of this peer-driven change model lies a profound emphasis on community talents, strengths, and resourcefulness. Today, we’re thrilled to share a heartwarming story unfolding in T/A Chikowi at Ulumba Primary School, which truly

CII Malawi Update November 2023 In a mere few months, the Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba, Malawi, has yielded tangible benefits, capturing the attention of neighboring leaders eager to replicate this transformative program in their villages. Launched by Root Change in June, CII has brought together 50 families in a peer-driven change model, emphasizing

Root Change is excited to share that after careful preparations and months of planning, CII Malawi launched in Zomba District Council with the Ulumba community. CII Malawi started with 50 families in the Ulumba area under Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba.  Root Change has partnered with Youth for Development and Productivity (YODEP) to identify and

Are you a young researcher, evaluator, or practitioner passionate about using data to make informed decisions within a local organization? If so, we invite you to apply for the Research-to-Change Mentorship Academy (R2CMA), led by Root Change and IREX as part of the Youth Excel program. What is Research-to-Change? Research-to-Change (R2C) is an approach that

This summer, Root Change is thrilled to introduce the groundbreaking Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba T/A Chikowi, Malawi. The CII pilot project will engage 50 families in a transformative, peer-driven model that seeks to leverage their innate talents, strengths, and resourcefulness. Contrary to conventional development approaches, CII refrains from providing services or advice, opting

This blog is a follow-on to an earlier post about a Social Lab that was conducted as part of the three-year USAID-funded Local Organizations—Movement Towards Self-Reliance (LO-MTSR) activity implemented by The Cloudburst Group (Cloudburst) and their two major partners, Partners Global and the DevLab@Duke University. LO-MTSR aimed to increase the organizational resiliency of Cambodian civil

These activities are being conducted as part of the three-year USAID-funded Local Organizations—Movement Towards Self-Reliance (LO-MTSR) activity implemented by The Cloudburst Group (Cloudburst) and their two major partners, PartnersGlobal and the DevLab@Duke University. LO-MTSR aims to increase the organizational resiliency of Cambodian civil society organizations (CSOs) across the health, education, food security, environment, and democracy,

This post is also available on the Root Change blog in English. A principios de 2021, Root Change se asoció con People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHH), la organización de vivienda sin fines de lucro con más años de servicio en la costa central de California para realizar un programa piloto de la Iniciativa de Independencia Comunitaria