Press Release: Ares Charitable Foundation Awards $500,000 Grant to EMpower to Support Marginalised Young Women in India

New York, NY, December 10, 2024—EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation, a global non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering marginalised young people in developing countries, today announced a $500,000 grant from the Ares Charitable Foundation (the “Ares Foundation”).   

The two-year grant will support EMpower's ongoing work with locally-led organisations in India that are providing marginalised young women with the skills and resources they need to achieve economic mobility and break the cycle of poverty through the initiative "EMpowering Her: Accelerating Economic Equity for Young Women in India."   

"We are incredibly grateful to the Ares Foundation for its generous support," said Cynthia Steele, President & CEO of EMpower. "This funding will enable us to deepen our impact in India to help ensure more young women have the opportunity to build brighter futures for themselves and their communities. We are particularly excited to partner with the Ares Foundation on this initiative given its strong commitment to supporting and empowering women in the communities where they live and work."   

The Ares Foundation grant will support a range of programmes, including skills training, entrepreneurship development, and advocacy for gender equality.   

The grant will also support the creation of a Community of Practice, bringing together EMpower's grantee partners in India to share knowledge and best practices.   

“EMpower understands the power of collaboration and the importance of partnering with community-based organisations whose programmes promote financial well-being,” said Michelle Armstrong, President of the Ares Foundation. “We are honored to support the team’s efforts to help young women in India acquire and apply the skills needed to successfully participate in the workforce, which is critical for both the country’s labour market and the global economy.”  

About EMpower

EMpower is a global nonprofit organisation dedicated to advancing youth development in emerging market countries. For over 24 years, EMpower has partnered with locally-led organisations to improve the education, health, and livelihoods of marginalised young people, with a particular focus on girls. Through long-term financial and capacity-building investments, EMpower supports youth-led programmes that create opportunities for them to transform their lives and communities. To date, EMpower has invested over $50 million in grants, impacting the lives of more than 1 million young people across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Turkey. https://empowerweb.org/ 

About Ares Charitable Foundation

The Ares Charitable Foundation (the “Ares Foundation)” is a 501(c)(3) qualifying organization of Ares Management LLC (“Ares” or the “firm”) that aims to accelerate economic equity and equality through strategic investments in career preparation and reskilling, entrepreneurship and personal finance. Established in 2021, we execute our philanthropy with the same rigor, discipline and entrepreneurial spirit that Ares brings to its investment activities and business operations. We act in accord with the firm’s core values—to be collaborative, responsible, entrepreneurial, self-aware and trustworthy—by engaging in grantmaking and mission-aligned initiatives that strengthen the communities where Ares stakeholders live and work, and where the firm does business.

https://www.aresfoundation.org/

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

For more information, contact: 
Robin Barnes
Director of Development, USA
rbarnes@empowerweb.org