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We are EMpower

We partner with local organisations in emerging market countries, and other change-makers, to enable marginalised young people to transform their lives and communities.

Learn About What We Do

The Latest from EMpower

EMpower Impact to Date

For more than 23 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.

1,465

Grants Made

$50 Million

Awarded

1 Million

Youth Directly Impacted

3.5 Million

Lives Touched

Help Make a Difference Today

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Youth Development Tools

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

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We work globally to empower marginalised youth, especially girls.

There are more than 1.8 billion young people in the world, and many emerging market countries currently have their largest populations of young people ever. And these numbers are only expected to grow over the next 10 years. Experiencing significant poverty, discrimination, violence, and exclusion, young people living at the margins face the lingering effects and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued economic upheaval. The last several years have taken an unprecedented toll on their schooling, health, safety, and livelihoods. Our support to local partners aims to create more opportunities, assets, networks, and safe spaces for young people. EMpower provides financial grants and other value-added 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 An estimated 14% of girls and young women give birth before age 18, which often devastates their lives and jeopardises their status at home and in their communities. Read more →
Inclusive Learning Around 129 million girls are out of school, and millions more are in school but not learning. 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 approximately 150 active grantee partners in 15 EM countries.

Featured Grantee Partner

Kidspire Vietnam
Vietnam

In Vietnam, millions of young people face significant challenges that hinder their ability to achieve their full potential. Due to low incomes and unsafe conditions, families are often left with no choice but to put their children in institutional care. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. In Ho Chi Minh City, more than 2,200 children lost their parents to the virus.

Kidspire was founded in 1991 with the aim to find adoptive families for children in need of care. Now, their vision has expanded to encompass a broader mission, which is to support these children and young people in their education, goal setting and future planning. 

Since our partnership, Kidspire has equipped over 100 young people with transferable skills, specifically in digital and internet literacy, while also amplifying the involvement of youth voices in their programmes. 

Learn more about Kidspire Vietnam →

Our Global Reach
Stories of Change
Publications

Learning Together

Our Adolescent Girls Learning Communities in Mumbai and Delhi—safe spaces where girls can come together and be in the driver’s seat—recently celebrated their 10th anniversary. This toolkit features the voices and expertise of these girls and includes practical and actionable guidance for individuals and organisations planning girl-centred programmes. It includes fresh ideas on how to create and sustain programmes that enable girls to lead, in their own lives and in their communities.

Read More

Latest News
Telling a Different Story: Standing Strong in Resisting Gender-Based Violence
Posted 25 November 2023
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A Word with Stephen Chang
Posted 15 November 2023
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15 Years of Empowering Change: Seaport Global Trading Day
Posted 25 October 2023
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Upcoming Events & Webinars

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Recent Events & Webinars
14 November 2023
Annual Dinner in the UK
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Make a Difference with EMpower

Our Board Directors and the Leadership Council underwrite all of our Management, General and Fundraising expenses, so 100% of your donation goes directly to empowering marginalised young people.

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