Grants totaling $437,000 approved at EMpower’s Final Grants Meeting in New York!

Posted 10 June 2019 in EMpower News, Grantee Partner News   |   Share

The 5^th and final EMpower Grants meeting of FY2019 was held in New York on June 6th. 9 grants were approved by the Committee totaling $380,500, with 2 additional internal grants bringing the total amount approved to $437,000. Thank you to all who participated! Of special note at the meeting:

• Three new grantee partners approved from priority geographies for growth in FY19: Redes da Mare in Brazil, and The Mudita Foundation and Khululeka Grief Support in South Africa.
• A sunset grant approved for longtime grantee partner Bolshaya Peremena (Big Change), Russia.
• A first-time multi-year grant made to our longtime partner Solidaridad Internacional Kanda A.C. (SiKanda), Mexico.

The following grants were approved in the meeting:

Solidaridad Internacional Kanda A.C (SiKanda), Mexico: EMpower’s 6^th grant to SiKanda will educate 650 youth in Villa de Zaachila, Oaxaca about their rights, gender equity, sexual and reproductive health, body autonomy and violence prevention. 80 youth will receive additional intensive training as youth promoters to further engage the community. 160 mothers, fathers and teachers will also be trained to better support young people.

Gendes A.C., Mexico: EMpower’s 2^nd grant to Gendes will strengthen its program for very young adolescents (ages 10-14) in Tlaxcala by combining training on life skills, gender equality, and the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence into one curriculum. By training two local organizations, Gendes’ curriculum will reach 200 youth through in-school workshops.

Redes da Maré, Brazil: EMpower’s 1^st grant to Redes da Mare will support and improve the academic performance of 140vulnerable adolescents in Maré, Rio da Janeiro’s largest favela. Students will receive 3 hours of academic training per day, 5 day per week, as well as psychological support, to help them stay in school and prepare for the demanding entrance exam to top-quality high schools. 

Bolshaya Peremena (Big Change), Russia: EMpower’s 8^th and final sunset grant to Big Change will help the organization improve its sustainability moving forward by strengthening its fundraising and marketing capacity, including recruitment of a new full-time fundraiser and database.

Urban Agriculture Network (Urbanet), Ghana: EMpower’s 4^th grant will support the training of 40 young women and men as certified seed producers and retailers, and the training of 100 young women and men as Village-Based Agriculture Advisors in Ghana’s Northern Region. The youth graduates will be able to earn sustainable livelihoods by providing farmers with certified seeds as well as agricultural services including advice and technical expertise.

The Mudita Foundation, South Africa: EMpower’s 1^st grant to Mudita Foundation will pilot a program to strengthen the resilience of 700 young people (50% female; all aged 15-19) from resource-poor communities around Stellenbosch. These therapeutic services will help them deal with stress and trauma, and develop the skills they need to complete education, obtain employment and make healthy choices.

Khululeka Grief Support, South Africa: EMpower’s 1^st grant will support 84 young women dealing with trauma, bereavement or other loss to improve their mental health, build resilience, reduce risky behaviors and increase self-confidence.

The Antarang Foundation, India: EMpower’s 2nd grant to Antarang Foundation will support 650 adolescents and 850 young adults from urban Mumbai through Career Development Centers where they will be able to gain awareness of career opportunities, access training programs, gain skills and eventually make informed transitions from education to productive employment.

Hong Kong Unison, Hong Kong, China: EMpower’s 2nd grant to Hong Kong Unison will support ethnic minority students in Hong Kong to aspire to achievable life and career goals aligned to their interests. 500 students age 15-18 will receive various support, including life planning and career guidance workshops, interview prep, diverse workplace visits and counselling. 10 young women will also be provided mentors to encourage women’s leadership.