7 Grants totaling $224,000 Awarded in Summer US Grants Meeting!

Posted 18 June 2020 in EMpower News   |   Share

The final US grants meeting of the fiscal year occurred 11 June, with a total of $224,000 in 7 grants awarded by the Board! The grants will provide youth with direct learning and educational support, information and training on mental health/counseling, gender equality and employment skills.

The approved programming displays the resilience of EMpower grantees and many of the grants include responses to COVID-19 that will help youth and communities impacted by the pandemic. Many thanks to 16 Directors and donors that attended the virtual call. Here is a short summary of the approved grants that we are supporting:

Committee of Resource Organisation for Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (CORO), India ($50,000 for 24 months): EMpower partner since 2013, CORO is a community-owned organization that empowers marginalized youth using gender-focused programming. The approved grant will train 25 youth leaders across Mumbai who will take this knowledge back to their community and teach 250 younger adolescents about gender equity and undertake social action projects. In response to the heightened need from COVID-19, this grant will also focus on addressing the increased challenges and gender-based violence that have emerged.

Medha Corp, India ($51,000 for 24 months): Medha provides marginalized youth with skills training, career counseling, and employment training. EMpower’s 6^th grant to Media will support 150 youth to complete secondary school. In response the COVID-19, Medha has pivoted to provide virtual programming, mock interviews and career counseling with youth online and is developing an online curriculum.

Sadbhavana Trust, India ($25,000 for 24 months): Sadbhavana works with low-income, minority women in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh gain vocational skills and education. EMpower’s 2^nd grant to Sadbhavana will support 60 young women participate in its employability program and navigate the impact of the COVID pandemic through online and offline courses.

Mamelani Projects, South Africa ($90,000* for 24 months): Longtime EMpower partner, Mamelani Projects prepares homeless youth with therapeutic and psychosocial support to transition to adulthood. The final grant to Mamelani will support 75 youth transitioning out of Child and Youth Care and strengthen its communications, monitoring and evaluation.

Khululeka Grief Support, South Africa ($33,000 for 18 months): Khululeka engages with youth whose families are HIV-positive and provides research-based initiatives to increase youth’s resilience and wellbeing. EMpower’s 2^nd grant to Khululeka will provide 120 young women experiencing loss with programs to deal with trauma, build resilience, and increase self-confidence.

Centro Yanapanakusun, Peru (91,000* for 24 months): Yanapanakusun provides Quechua girls with education and training focusing on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health. EMpower’s 6^th grant to Yanapanakusun will provide 355 indigenous youth with academic and skills training to help them obtain employment.

Redes da Mare, Brazil ($35,000 12-month grant): Located in Brazil’s largest favela, Redes da Mare uses education, arts and community mobilization to empower youth. EMpower’s 2^nd grant to Redes da Mare will help the organization expand a rigorous academic program for 140 youth that will help prepare them to take the entrance exam for high school.

*Grants marked with an asterisk are those that were co-funded at 85% by an outstanding institutional supporter. Many thanks to the generosity of this institutional donor and their continued support of youth in emerging market countries.

Read more about EMpower’s grantee partners here.