We're forming a global women-led movement to transform our communities and our world. Together.
Across cultures, women are…
unsafe,
1 in 3 women experience violence.
overworked,
Women do 75% of unpaid care work globally.
and don't have an equal voice.
Political equality is over 130 years away.
And it's getting worse.
In the last few years, over 50 countries have passed laws restricting women's rights, autonomy, or freedoms.
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.
— Angela Davis
Solena Collective
We are a global movement where women rise and lead together, using collective strength and local action to reshape the landscape of opportunity for women everywhere.
Together, we are building a world where women across cultures have equal power, opportunity, and safety, supported by strong communities and global solidarity.
Women come together in intergenerational Circles to take on a local challenge, supported by training, cross-cultural learning, and a global fund that strengthens their work.
About Us
Through local Circles connected globally, Solena turns women's desire for a more equal world into organized, collective power.
Start with local
Each Circle begins with women defining the local challenge they want to take on together.
Build community
Consistent groups of 10-25 women create trust, shared leadership, and a space where they don't have to carry things alone.
Take local action
Circles design and run one focused initiative at a time around that challenge — creating depth, momentum, and meaningful change.
Connect globally
Circles learn from and support one another across cultures, sharing strategies, experience, and solidarity around the issues they're tackling.
Create change
With a global network and a shared funding model behind them, Circles can sustain their work and grow their impact.
Training across the movement
The Learning Library provides best practices, research, and tested models provided by women's organizations worldwide, providing the knowledge Circles need to feel equipped to lead real change.
- gender equality
- leadership and facilitation
- skills for each Circle's chosen issue
- online workshops run by each Circle annually
We are:
Action-Oriented
Circles anchor around initiatives chosen by their community, not abstract empowerment.
Locally Led
Shared infrastructure and standards enable autonomy, not control.
Intergenerational by Design
Youth, mid-career women, and elders collaborate as equal leaders.
Cross-Culturally Connected
Women learn from and strengthen each other across cultures as equals.
Each Solena Circle chooses a local challenge from a set of clear focus areas.
Six Focus Areas
- Safety, Rights & Justice
- Care, Connection & Well-Being
- Economic Strength & Livelihoods
- Leadership & Civic Participation
- Education & Opportunity
- Migration, Inclusion & Belonging
Project Examples
- Supporting young mothers in poverty with mentorship and pathways to stability
- Running workshops that encourage girls and women to enter politics
- Strengthening women's livelihoods through skills training and access to opportunities
- Creating a welcoming environment for immigrant women through resources and cultural mentorship
How Solena Is Supported
Everyone has something to contribute.
Solena grows through shared commitment: women joining Circles, partners sharing knowledge, supporters giving resources, and communities helping the work take root. Circle participants who are able to give are invited to make a regular contribution that fits their local context. These contributions, together with donations, grants, partnerships, and practical support, help provide the training, tools, safety guidance, shared learning, and small grants that make local action possible.
No woman is turned away because she cannot contribute financially. What matters is the shared commitment to building a world where women have more power, safety, opportunity, and support.
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
— Helen Keller
Be a Part of Building Solena
We're building a global women-led movement, and we need early partners, supporters, and team members to help shape the foundation. If you're ready to make a change in the world around us, we look forward to hearing from you.
Provide Learning Resources
Nonprofits and community organizations can help strengthen Solena Circles by sharing tools, training, guides, research, or community-tested approaches. Solena works with mission-aligned partners to make practical knowledge easier to access, adapt, and use in locally driven gender-equality initiatives.
Collaborate with SolenaJoin the Founding Team
We're looking for committed builders — storytellers, organizers, designers, community leads, and more — to help shape Solena's first year. If you've ever wanted to build a global movement from the ground up, now is the time.
Learn moreStart a Circle in Your Community
We're looking for six pilot Circles to start by September 2026, and 30 by December 2026. If you're interested in helping to build and shape the Circle model, please apply! We look forward to hearing from you.
Apply
The Solena Collective was co-founded by Janice Levenhagen (U.S./France) and Ruth Ibrahim (Kenya), two organizers who met through Y Combinator's co-founder search and discovered they were building toward the same vision from different countries and contexts.
Together, they bring experience in global gender equality work, women's leadership, community organizing, and grassroots empowerment.
Meet the TeamStay in the loop
Keep up with Solena Collective
Occasional updates on new Circles, launches, and ways to get involved. No spam, unsubscribe any time.