UK Board Approves the Biggest Grants Docket in EMpower’s History

Posted 12 May 2022 in EMpower News   |   Share

This spring, EMpower and its UK Board approved $1,267,000 in 21 grants to grantee partners in emerging market countries. The board approved 10 grants totaling $712,000, and an additional $555,000 in 11 grants were approved internally. 

Highlights from this latest round of grants include:

• We are excited to welcome new grantee partners: Fight with Insight in South Africa, Africa Queer Youth Initiative in Nigeria, Suna Inan Kirac Vakfi (SVİKV) Suna’s Girls in Turkey, Chicas en Tecnología in Argentina, Jóvenes Constructores de la Comunidad in Mexico, and ANNA–Centre for the Prevention of Violence in Russia.
• We made two final grant awards to three long-time grantee partners: Sweccha and Jan Sahas in India, and Galaxy Fund in Russia.

Below is a short summary of the board-approved grants that we are making:

Chicas en Tecnología, Argentina (USD 50,000)

EMpower’s first grant to Chicas en Tecnología (CET) will enable 60 marginalised young women from Buenos Aires, between the ages of 17 and 23, to acquire the programming and life skills they need to secure employment or pursue higher education in the IT sector. EMpower’s support will enable the organisation to develop its first programme, which will be implemented in collaboration with another EMpower grantee partner, Cimientos.

Africa Queer Youth Initiative, Nigeria (USD 43,000)

EMpower's first grant to African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI) will help 10 young LGBTQI+ people (3 women; 3 men; 4 non-binary) in Nigeria and Ghana to increase their self-esteem and confidence, set up sustainable livelihoods, and build supportive relationships with non-family members. The grant will also support AQYI to strengthen its capacity in monitoring and evaluating its programmes and human resources, as well as to develop a process to ensure safeguarding measures are in place for the young people participating in its programmes.

Suna ve İnan Kıraç Vakfı (SVİKV) Suna's Girls, Turkey (USD 55,000)

EMpower's first grant to Suna ve İnan Kıraç Vakfı (SVİKV)will contribute to the inaugural activities of Suna’s Girls, which will develop girl-centred programming in Turkey. The Positive Adolescent Development Programme will empower 150 young girls and boys and 100 caregivers. The organisation will develop the capacity of five community centres in girl-centred programme design and create a Girls Advisory Council at each centre.

Swechha We for Change Foundation (Swechha), India (USD 63,000)

EMpower's final grant to Swechha will support 150 youth (10-24, 60% girls and 40% boys) in receiving: life-skills training, remedial learning to continue with their secondary school education, and mental health interventions to strengthen their coping skills amidst COVID-19’s continuing disruptions. It will also engage parents, local communities, and mentors in creating an enabling, safe environment for young people to feel heard and understood. To ensure sustainability, Swechha will develop second-in-line leadership, build a stronger team, and strengthen its fundraising strategies, while also creating communications assets that document the success and impact of the programme.

Jóvenes Constructores de la Comunidad, Mexico (USD 50,000)

EMpower's first grant to Jóvenes Constructores de la Comunidad, A.C. (JCC) will increase the employability and education prospects of 60 marginalised young people between the ages of 17-24 (36 women and 24 men) in Mexico City. Young people will strengthen and develop core life skills and participate in job training and mentoring sessions as part of the "Jóvenes con Rumbo” (Youth Pathways) programme. JCC will provide participants access to internships and job placement support. In addition, this grant will enable the institutional strengthening of Jóvenes Constructores in the areas of human resources and resource mobilisation.

Jan Sahas Social Development Society, India (USD 110,000)

EMpower's final grant to Jan Sahas will support 5500 young people and 1000 adults in becoming agents of change. It will also help bridge the gaps in the implementation of legal instruments to create a conducive environment for safeguarding young people. The grant will boost Jan Sahas’ Programme Management Unit, which will develop a detailed five-year strategy for its growth across five countries in South Asia and institute an in-house fundraising unit to support the diversification and sustainability of the organisation.

Fight with Insight, South Africa (USD 62,000)

EMpower's second grant to Fight with Insight (FWI) will support marginalised young people in South Africa. The funds will enable 352 young people (43% female) to improve their physical and mental health, their sense of belonging, social networks, and core life skills so that they feel safe, protected, and more self-assured. A portion of the funds will go toward the Nirvana project, assisting girls and young women in increasing their leadership skills and self-confidence.

Genc Hayat Vakfi (Youth Lives Foundation), Turkey (USD 165,000)

EMpower's third grant to Youth Lives will contribute to scaling their livelihood programmes for 1030 disadvantaged youth and to enhance the organisation’s capacity in meaningful youth engagement, the monitoring and evaluation of its programmes, and other critical areas. As previously, activities will have a gender focus, and they will develop new mechanisms to further centre youth in designing and delivering programmes.