About us
We didn’t wait for permission to lead.
Our Story Starts with Lived Experience
Our Story Starts with Lived Experience
Gaps We Address
Why We Exist
A Message From Our Founder
Why I Built Dare To Rise
I didn’t build Dare to Rise because I had all the answers.
I built it because I know what it feels like to need some.
I came to Canada from East Africa and learned early what it meant to find my place in a world that didn’t always feel built for me.
I became a mother.
I built businesses.
I worked.
I started over.
I experienced seasons when I was strong for everyone around me while quietly trying to figure out how I was going to keep going myself.
And somewhere along the way, I realized something:
We tell people to be strong far more often than we ask what they need.
Especially women.
Especially mothers.
Especially young people trying to find their place.
There are incredible organizations doing incredible work.
Dare to Rise isn’t here to replace them.
We’re here to connect the spaces between them.
The phone call.
The introduction.
The opportunity.
The person who knows a person.
The community that shows up when life gets complicated.
I wanted to build the kind of village I believe every person deserves.
One where asking for help isn’t embarrassing.
Where a young person doesn’t need connections to get into the room.
Where a single mother is seen as a woman with dreams — not just someone trying to survive.
Where businesses don’t just sponsor community.
They become part of it.
I don’t believe one person can fix everything.
I don’t think we’re supposed to.
That’s why it’s called a village.
Dare to Rise is my invitation to build that village together.
Absane (Abbie) Ibrahim
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Leadership Team
Absane (Abbie) Ibrahim
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Absane “Abbie” Jama is the Founder and Executive Director of Dare to Rise. A passionate community leader, entrepreneur, and advocate for families, Abbie has spent more than two decades empowering women, youth, and underserved communities across Canada and beyond.
Her journey from single motherhood to award-winning entrepreneur and nonprofit founder—has shaped her belief that resilience is not built alone, but within the strength of a village. Drawing on her 25 years as the founder of JamaFaceBeauty and her lifelong commitment to community service, Abbie brings a unique blend of creativity, compassion, and strategy to everything she does.
Abbie has spoken at conferences, led workshops, and partnered with organizations at local and national levels to amplify voices too often left unheard.
Through Dare to Rise, Abbie is building what she always wished existed: a safe, healing, and empowering space for families to access the support they need to thrive. Her leadership is guided by one simple truth: when one of us rises, we all rise.
Tara Myshrall
Founder & Leadership Speaker, Dare to Rise Foundation
Tara Myshrall is a leadership speaker, operator-advisor, and founder of Lead Elevated™️, with more than 20 years guiding leaders and teams through growth, complexity, and transformation.
A mentor and change-maker who has climbed toward Everest Base Camp and sat through 10-day silent retreats, Tara teaches that our greatest strength comes when we lead and live from our whole selves. Her approach blends grounded leadership practice with nervous-system awareness to help individuals reconnect with clarity, resilience, and wisdom.
Nehal Menon
Board Committee Member, Dare to Rise Foundation
Nehal Menon is a Board Member of Dare to Rise Foundation, Founder of Born to Rise and Glow Ltd., and a Mentor Coach with Mentaa.com. She is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment, resilience, and breaking generational cycles that limit human potential.
With a background in Health & Society, corporate leadership experience, and holistic wellness, Nehal combines education, mentorship, and personal transformation to support individuals through life’s transitions. As a single mother raising teenagers, she understands firsthand the importance of resilience, emotional well-being, and creating opportunities for youth to thrive. Her work focuses on empowering children, youth, and families—particularly those facing adversity—to build self-awareness, challenge limiting beliefs, embrace their individuality, and develop the confidence to create meaningful futures.
Nehal’s vision is to help cultivate a generation of compassionate, confident, and purpose-driven leaders who are empowered to rise beyond expectations, overcome barriers, and create lasting positive change within their communities and beyond.
Carolina Henao
Board Committee Member, Dare to Rise Foundation
Carolina Henao is a financial planner with Sun Life and founder of LUCEM Financial Solutions, with over 17 years of experience in financial planning, retirement, and risk management.
Committed to using financial education as a tool for empowerment, safety, and long-term independence, Carolina focuses on supporting women, single mothers, newcomers, and families navigating life transitions. She believes financial literacy provides the confidence and security needed to rebuild strong futures.
