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EMpower connects global resources with local solutions so that young people can create bold, transformative change in their lives and communities.

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The Latest from EMpower

A Word with Jonathan Bayliss

Jonathan Bayliss of Citadel was a founding member of EMpower UK, subsequent Board Chair, and is currently Board Director. Jonathan recently spoke with Cynthia Steele, EMpower’s President and CEO, about witnessing the impact of EMpower’s work firsthand.

EMpower Awards $321,500 in Six Grants to Partners in Asia

The final Hong Kong grants award meeting of the fiscal year took place last week, and a total of $321,500 was approved in six grants.

Cynthia Steele authors guest blog on Centre for Effective Philanthropy

Recently on Center for Effective Philanthropy's blog, EMpower's President and CEO, Cynthia Steele talked about the need to balance intentionality and urgency to shift from COVID-19 response to recovery.

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EMpower’s COVID In Her Voice research in Chronicle of Philanthropy

The article delves into the unique approach of centering girls' voices as researchers and respondents, research outcomes, experiences of girl leaders as researchers against the backdrop of COVID-19 in India, and how this stands to shape short- to long-term grantmaking at EMpower.

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Charity Navigator Awards 4 STARS to EMpower for 8th Year in a Row!

We are excited to announce that EMpower has earned the top 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent charity evaluator!

EMpower Impact to Date

For 20 years, we have worked alongside local organisations and young people to advance innovative programming and best practices to enable youth to live their full potential.

1,164

Grants Made

$36 Million

Awarded

784,500

Youth Directly Impacted

2 Million

Lives Touched

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Youth Development Tools

EMpower is committed to sharing knowledge, tools and lessons-learned that can inform and strengthen youth programs.

EMpower works globally to empower marginalised youth, especially girls.

There are more than 1.8 billion young people in the world and many emerging market countries are experiencing the largest ever population of young people, with expectations of continued growth until 2030. Already affected by significant poverty, discrimination, violence and exclusion, young people at the margins in 2020-21 face the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19 with its toll on schooling, health, safety, and livelihoods. Our support to local partners aims to create more opportunities, assets, networks and brave spaces for young people. EMpower provides financial grants and other value-add support to local organisations in emerging market countries in three interconnected areas that are key to youth development:

Economic well-being 85 million young people are estimated to be unemployed, nearly half of all the unemployed worldwide. Read more →

Safe, healthy lives Half of all new HIV infections occur among young people between 15 and 24 years of age, with young women facing infection rates 1.6 times higher than young men. Read more →

Inclusive Learning When a girl receives 5 years of schooling, her future children are 40% likelier to live past age 5. Read more →

Find Out More About How We Empower Youth

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Partnership with Impact

With partnership at the heart of our work, EMpower learns from and with our partners, leveraging and sharing learnings from our 100 active grantee partners in 15 EM countries.

Featured Grantee Partner