Our Communities Fund
The Our Communities Fund supports local initiatives that create lasting, positive change in the places where Palladium staff live and work. Through small grants, it empowers local organisations to enhance skills, grow livelihoods, and build resilience in communities around the world.
Fish for the Future
Partner: Acate Amazon
Location: Peru – Kokáma Communities, Marañón River
Fish farming meets forest restoration. Kokáma communities built their first-ever aquaculture systems, growing fish for food and using the nutrient-rich water to grow crops. Led by women, built by hand, and ready to expand.
Mentoring Young Mums to Stay in School
Partner: Wadada Kupitiliza Welfare Association
Location: Kenya – Kibera, Nairobi
Teen mums in Kenya face huge pressure to leave school. This program gave them mentorship, peer support, and encouragement to keep going. It also helped teachers understand how to support them better.
Clean Water, Closer to Home
Partner: Yule Island Community
Location: PNG – Yule Island, Central Province
No more arduous water runs. This project brought water closer to homes by connecting more tanks and pipes to Yule Island communities. Meaning less time walking, more time learning, earning, and resting.
POWER Project
Partner: Care and Development Organisation (CDO)
Location: Nepal – Kathmandu Valley
For many women in Lalitpur, life in the brick kilns meant long hours, low pay, and daily health risks. The POWER project (Promotion of Women Empowerment and Rights), led by CDO Nepal and supported by the Our Communities Fund, is helping women leave unsafe work behind and build new sustainable livelihoods.
Women received training in vegetable gardening, incense and candle making, soap production, and financial literacy. The program also offered tools, startup materials, and support to access local markets and savings groups.
Karma Kumari Pun, once a brick kiln labourer, now grows vegetables in her own backyard. With her first cucumber harvest, she earned NPR 7,000 at her local market. It was her first independent income.
So far, more than 100 women have taken part in the program, gaining new skills, income, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Humanitarian Relief Fund
The Humanitarian Relief Fund empowers Palladium staff to respond quickly to crises affecting the communities where they live and work. Open to nominations from across Palladium’s global network, the Fund supports timely, targeted projects that meet urgent needs following natural disasters, conflict, and displacement.
Recovery Camps for Displaced Families in Ukraine
Partner: Lviv Charitable Foundation “Sincere Heart”
Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine
For 242 mothers and children uprooted by war, a simple one-day camp became a source of healing. Through games, group therapy, and art sessions, these Recovery Camps helped families process trauma and rebuild community connections.
“We spent the day like in a fairy tale… like in peacetime. A 100% reboot.”
98% of participants said they would recommend the camp to others. For many, it was the first step in finding strength and solidarity after loss.
As one participant put it..
“The incredible atmosphere of the camp, the excellent professional guidance, and the time dedicated to finding positivity in such a difficult time. It all gives us strength to keep going.”
Emergency Support After Mount Lewotobi Eruption
In November 2024, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted in East Flores, Indonesia, displacing over 11,000 people and devastating nearby communities. Thousands of women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities were relocated to evacuation camps with limited access to basic hygiene, mobility, and safety infrastructure. With support from the Palladium Humanitarian Relief Fund, Kyeema partnered with two local organisations to deliver emergency response distributions.
Partner: Perfect Fit, Bali Childrens Fund
Location: Konga, Lewolaga, Kobasoma, and Bokang
More than 6,400 displaced women and girls were left without access to menstrual hygiene supplies. Perfect Fit responded by distributing 650 menstrual dignity kits, including reusable pads, soap, a towel, and a sarong across four evacuation camps. Education sessions were also provided to help break taboos and restore confidence.
“I’ve already been using the bamboo pads. They’re so soft and comfortable. I’m so happy!”
Partner: Yayasan PIKUL
Location: Konga, Kobasoma, Bokang, Lewolaga & Bitobe Village
This project ensured that people with disabilities, pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable residents received the support they needed to stay safe and comfortable in displacement. More than 180 aid packages were provided, including baby supplies, mobility aids and blankets, and access to toilets and sanitation was improved through community-led repairs.
Twelve local humanitarian workers were trained in inclusive response, laying the foundation for better preparedness in future emergencies.
Challenge Fund
Through the Palladium Challenge Fund, we support solutions that prioritise local perspectives, inclusivity, and transformative technology, piloting projects that address global challenges with long-term resilience. In 2024, the Palladium Challenge Fund focused on supporting the rebuilding of post conflict countries by identifying proposals that offered innovative and sustainable solutions to employment for returnees.
G12++: High School Certification for Refugee Youth
Partner: Alsama Project
Location: Lebanon
This project is piloting an internationally recognized high school equivalency test designed for refugee youth and deliverable in camp settings. Developed in partnership with Cambridge University, it aims to unlock education and employment pathways for young people excluded from traditional systems.
InviYOUth: Mental Health & Workforce Readiness
Partner: Alight Ukraine
Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine
Young Ukrainians displaced by war are gaining mental health support, soft skills, and a renewed sense of agency through this trauma-informed, holistic program. By promoting healing alongside workforce preparation, InviYOUth supports long-term social cohesion and economic resilience.
BodEr: Refugee-Led Ride-Hailing in Kenya
Partner: BodEr Tech
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
BodEr is building a ride-hailing app designed to create jobs for refugees especially those excluded from formal employment. With a focus on logistics and the promotion of electric bikes, the platform combines economic empowerment with environmental sustainability.
Vocational Training for Afghan Returnees with Disabilities
Partner: Enabled Children Initiative (ECI)
Location: Kabul & Nangarhar, Afghanistan
This Challenge Fund project is breaking down barriers to employment for young people with disabilities in Kabul and Nangarhar. Through hands-on vocational training, supported employment pathways, and targeted community engagement, it is creating more inclusive opportunities and empowering participants to build meaningful futures.
So far this year, 60 young people with disabilities, including 30 young women, have completed vocational training. Recognising the added challenges women face, the project also provides counselling and family support to help them participate safely and confidently.
The project also mobilises disability ambassadors who lead awareness sessions with local employers and disability-affected families. Their role is to advocate for workplace inclusion, shift mindsets, and reduce stigma both at home and in the community. Their role is essential in breaking stigma, advocating for inclusion, and encouraging local employers to open their doors to more diverse talent.
