Lotus Circle

Supporting Gender Equality

The Lotus Circle is a vibrant community of committed individuals and organizations supporting our Gender Equality program to strengthen economic, social, and political rights and opportunities for women and girls. By joining the Lotus Circle with an annual gift of $1000 or more, you can help transform the lives of women and girls across Asia and the Pacific.

What the Lotus Circle Supports

woman in face mask washes her hand in front of banner that encourages handwashing
A handwashing station placed outside ALfeLa, an Asia Foundation partner in Dili, Timor-Leste, that provides legal advice and information for women and advocates for gender-just legal reform (Photo: ALfeLa staff)

Covid-19 Lotus Rapid Response Fund

The gendered impact of Covid-19 continues to play out across the globe, with acute effects on women and girls, including a dramatic rise in gender-based violence amid quarantines and lockdowns, women’s loss of economic security, increased caregiving demands that fall largely on women, and the increased risks to women of illness as they comprise most of the frontline health and community workers. With The Asia Foundation’s network of country offices and our longstanding relationships with local partners, we’ve identified urgent needs and mobilized quickly in response to what we’re seeing on the ground to get resources where they’re most needed.

The Lotus Leadership Awards

Each year, The Asia Foundation’s Lotus Leadership Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have made major contributions to advancing the rights and opportunities of women and girls. Proceeds from the gala go towards innovative programs for women and girls across the Asia-Pacific region.

Lotus Circle Highlights

  • ABC News Spotlights Lotus Circle Honorees HAkA and The Asia Foundation’s Social Forestry Programs in Indonesia

    ABC News Spotlights Lotus Circle Honorees HAkA and The Asia Foundation’s Social Forestry Programs in Indonesia

  • Bangsamoro Women’s Movement and Visa and Visa Foundation Honored at 2024 Lotus Leadership Awards

    Bangsamoro Women’s Movement and Visa and Visa Foundation Honored at 2024 Lotus Leadership Awards

  • The Asia Foundation Awards 10 Scholarships for Mongolia’s First Gender Studies Master’s Program

    The Asia Foundation Awards 10 Scholarships for Mongolia’s First Gender Studies Master’s Program

Lotus Circle Advisors

The Lotus Circle Advisors are a group of committed philanthropists and business leaders who provide advice and generous support to The Asia Foundation’s work in gender equality to create more opportunities for girls and women across Asia and the Pacific to improve their lives.

  • Alice Young

    Alice Young

  • Amanda Minami

  • Antoinette Mayer

    Antoinette Mayer

  • Debby Carter

  • Deshi Singh

    Deshi Singh

  • Elizabeth Keatinge Scheideler

    Elizabeth Keatinge Scheideler

  • Faye Sahai

    Faye Sahai

  • Hee-Jung Moon

    Hee-Jung Moon

  • Janet Montag
    ,

    Janet Montag

  • Jennifer Cabalquinto

    Jennifer Cabalquinto

  • Joan Cummins

    Joan Cummins

  • Kellee Marlow
    ,

    Kellee Marlow

  • Laurette Slawson Hartigan

    Laurette Slawson Hartigan

  • Lilly Huang
    ,

    Lilly Huang

  • Lin Jamison
    ,

    Lin Jamison

  • Linda Filardi

  • Lucy Lee

    Lucy Lee

  • Missie Rennie

  • Monica von Zadora-Gerlof

  • Nobuko Sakurai

  • Priya Ghandikota

    Priya Ghandikota

  • Ruth Wilcox

  • Smita Pillai

    Smita Pillai

  • Stephanie Sun

    Stephanie Sun

  • Susan L. Beningson

    Susan L. Beningson

  • Swati Bhisé

    Swati Bhisé

  • Sydnie Kohara

    Sydnie Kohara

  • Tina Kwok

    Tina Kwok

  • Umbreen Sheikh

    Umbreen Sheikh

Latest Across Asia and the Pacific

  • Accelerate My Business: Transforming Women-Led Small and Growing Businesses in Vietnam

  • Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: The Asia Foundation Transfers B2B Platform to Mongolia Tech Start-up   

  • Upskilling Cambodia’s Digital Workforce: A Transformative Conference for Sustainable Education

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