She Didn't Wait
for Permission.
Neither Should You!

Read She Chose to Rise

Sierra Leone · Arizona · The World

Global Rise & Soar is where individual, company and group's stories, wisdom, and leadership meet the world — through storytelling, education, and a community built to last.

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Recognition & Partnerships

Trusted By Leading Organizations.

She Chose to Rise

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The Flagship Work

An anthology of first-person narratives from women across 7 countries who transformed adversity into purpose, silence into story, and survival into leadership. Edited by Mariatu Esther Kabba — who lived the story before she told it.

Listen to the Podcast

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VOLUME ONE

Part memoir. Part movement. Entirely necessary.

5+

Continents

Countries

Contributors

A Platform for Every Stage of the Journey

WHAT WE BUILD

From story to strategy, from classroom to boardroom — Global Rise & Soar meets you where you are and takes you where you're going.

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She Chose to Rise — the book, podcast, and global narrative platform amplifying women's voices across continents.

Media &
Storytelling

Education &
Training

01 Consulting &
Strategy

Community &
Mentorship

Digital courses in AI literacy, leadership, entrepreneurship, and global scholarship navigation — built for women and young people worldwide.

Social impact strategy, program design, and capacity building for NGOs, universities, foundations, and corporations.

A growing Global Community of women leaders. Mentorship, accountability and connection.-Coming soon as a dedicated platform.

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03

04 ◈

Voices from the Anthology

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Women Who

Chose to Rise

Read All Stories ->

FEATURED

CONTRIBUTOR

Dr. Adelaida Severson

Editor & Co-Author · Part I:The Night I Chose My Voice

Journalism · Resilience · Global Leadership · Founding a Movement

A Voice from USA

"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure

it's worth watching."

CONTRIBUTOR

Marianna Brandao

A Voice from Brazil

"Rising is not linear. It's cyclical. It's seasonal"

Author · Part 2: Finding Success in the 'F' Word

CEO/owner, Bushtex

Author · Part I: I Chose to Rise

Global Business leader

Elita Kariim

A Voice from Bangladesh

"I was scared. But I was also tired. And being tired of being scared is its own kind of bravery."

CONTRIBUTOR

Zineb Haddaji

A Voice from Djibouti

"Beauty standards are just history and geography written on our bodies"

Author · Part I: The Day I Stopped Running

Media · Music

Author · Part I: The Girl Who Stood Still Under the Sand

Journalism · Photography

CONTRIBUTOR

Elira Canga

A Voice from Albania

"I told them, 'Watch me do both.' And I did."

Olga Usenko

A Voice from Ukraine

"Resistance isn't always loud. Sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's simply refusing to let crisis steal your joy"

Author · Part I: Finding Freedom Through Truth

Journalism · Higher Education

Author · Part I: Finding Myself in a Changed World

Journalism · Law

CONTRIBUTOR

The Woman Behind
the Movement

About Mariatu

Mariatu Esther Kabba is a global storyteller, social entrepreneur, and leadership strategist. A former BBC Media Action journalist, she trained journalists across West Africa before founding Hope Pathways Global — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit empowering women and girls in Sierra Leone and Arizona.

A Mandela Washington Fellow, Humphrey Fellow, and Thunderbird graduate, Mariatu sits at the intersection of media, education, and social impact. She has spent two decades building platforms that give other women a voice.

She lives between Phoenix, Arizona, and Freetown, Sierra Leone. And belongs to both.

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I'm Mariatu Esther Kabba

A media development specialist, social entrepreneur, and advocate dedicated to helping women create transformative impact through education, storytelling, and leadership.

As a Mandela Washington Fellow, Humphrey Fellow, and one of Sierra Leone's Fifty Most Influential Women, I've dedicated my career to amplifying voices that need to be heard.

Read My Story ->

Meet the Founder

She Chose to Rise

Featured Book

An inspiring anthology featuring transformative stories from women across 7 countries who chose courage over comfort and rose above their circumstances.

Each story is a testament to resilience, faith, and the power of choosing to rise regardless of the obstacles faced.