The Story

In 2004, Matt Berninger quit his day job to invest full time in an insane dream—headlining a rock band. Eight years earlier, his cousins Joe and Jeff Berninger did the same—leaving their private-sector careers to start a nonprofit that would help more than 295,000 Guatemalan students (and counting) break the cycle of poverty. Today, the Cooperative for Education is focused on educating and empowering girls through the Rise Youth Development Program, including the Thousand Girls Initiative expansion to grow the program to 1,000 girls (achieved in 2023). Through Rise, these girls have the chance to stay in school, graduate, and go after their dreams just like Matt, Joe, and Jeff.

The Cause

Why does The National support the Rise Program?

In Matt’s words, “Research tells us that one of the most effective ways for developing nations to change the cycle of poverty is by educating the girls. Research also shows that new businesses founded and run by women have significantly higher rates of success than those founded and run by men. Places where women and girls don’t get the same opportunities as men to educate themselves are very often the places in the most trouble.

I’ve seen for myself how effective Cooperative for Education has been ever since it was founded 20 years ago. My cousins, Joe and Jeff Berninger, saw an opportunity to make a small difference in the world so they both quit their corporate jobs and founded this non-profit. The programs work. Cooperative for Education is one of the leading NGOs in Guatemala with a variety of sustainable education initiatives.”

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