EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation

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“Whenever I put my mind to something, I will complete it, even if it’s hard. I didn’t really recognise this about myself until I participated in the programme.” Happy #InternationalDayoftheGirl! ✨ Meet Tiziana, whose journey perfectly embodies this year’s theme: #GirlsVisionfortheFuture. With the support of our grantee partner, Postulaciones Enseñá por Argentina’s PASOS programme—an EMpower-supported initiative—Tiziana not only sharpened her employability skills but also discovered a stronger sense of self and emotional intelligence. From perfecting her CV to learning how to set boundaries, Tiziana’s story is a powerful example of how empowering girls can lead to incredible personal and professional growth. Her determination even inspired her to switch her major to law and pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer! 👉 Swipe to find out how. Over the next three days, we’ll showcase how EMpower and our partners are driving these transformations and empowering girls to realise their 'Vision for the Future'. Stay tuned! 💫

🌍 Estamos emocionados de ser aliados de EMpower para ampliar el apoyo a la #SaludMental de los jóvenes en #Perú, donde la necesidad es crítica. 🧠 Como lo compartió Cynthia Steele, Presidenta y CEO de EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation: "EMpower está comprometida con garantizar el bienestar global de los jóvenes, una prioridad urgente. Estamos emocionados por trabajar junto con la Fundación Anglo American para expandir el apoyo a la salud mental en Perú, donde solo 2 de cada 10 jóvenes tienen acceso a la atención que necesitan." Juntos fortaleceremos el ecosistema de salud mental en Perú, centrándonos en el bienestar juvenil y su empoderamiento a través de la educación y las oportunidades económicas. Esta alianza es un paso clave hacia la construcción de un futuro donde los jóvenes tengan acceso disponible a la atención de salud mental, permitiéndoles prosperar, liderar y moldear sus futuros. ¡Estamos muy entusiasmados por el gran impacto que crearemos—juntos! 🌍 We’re excited to partner with EMpower to expand mental health support for young people in Peru, where the need is critical. 🧠 Together, we will strengthen the youth mental health ecosystem in Peru. This partnership is a vital step towards a future where mental health support is accessible to all young people, empowering them to thrive, lead, and shape their futures. We look forward to the meaningful impact we’ll create—together!  

In South Africa, EMpower partners with local organisations to support young people navigating socio-economic challenges, with a strong focus on early intervention. Our partners deliver impactful programmes that keep young people in school, enhance academic performance, expand employment opportunities, and integrate critical mental health support. They engage young people through innovative approaches, such as sports and the arts, to promote mental health and well-being. 🧠 💫 This #WorldMentalHealthDay, we’re hosting a closed webinar where young people from our five partner organisations in Johannesburg will share their experiences and insights on mental health. We believe in the power of such gatherings, where young people –experts in their own lives—can connect, learn, and amplify their voices, ultimately leading to better programming. 💬 Stay tuned for key highlights! 

Cynthia Steele, EMpower’s President and CEO, recently spoke with Maryann, Senior Managing Director at SenseTime 商汤科技, and EMpower Board Director, Hong Kong. They discussed the importance of good governance, highlights from Maryann's visit to India earlier this year, and how her perspectives align with our commitment towards young people in EM countries. Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gRuKS8qA

"The importance of young people telling their own stories cannot be overstated. At EMpower, we are constantly exploring new ways to enhance our communications, programmes, and partnerships, ensuring that we continue to provide meaningful opportunities for young people to voice their opinions and tell their own stories. By owning and expressing their experiences, they gain agency and influence, and who knows—their stories might just inspire change." In our latest Shifting the Narrative blog series, Sara Saad, our Global Communications Associate, raises a pertinent question on storytelling, reiterating the need to firmly centre young people in nonprofit communications, and creating empowering spaces for them to be the protagonists in their own stories. 🎙️ 🔗 Read the blog: https://lnkd.in/gDzhiQyh

Last week, EMpower had the honour of participating in the Fixed Income Leaders Summit, where we highlighted how the financial services community can shape investment markets while driving positive social impact.   Adam Heuman, Our Vice President of Global Development & Marketing, and Mary-Therese Barton, EMpower Board member & Chief Investment Officer - Fixed Income at Pictet Asset Management, shared insights on how strategic investment can fuel transformative change for young people living at the margins.   We extend our heartfelt thanks to Toby West, EMpower UK Board member and Global Head of Marketing at MarketAxess, Irene Cerquaglia, and Zaryna Lee, our Development Manager in the UK for facilitating this valuable opportunity and initiating the conversation between Worldwide Business Research (WBR) and EMpower.   Check out this video of Adam and Mary sharing their insights! 🎥   #ImpactThroughInvestment

I was inspired by my discussions with the Ford Foundation’s partners in #India, including youth fellows, workers, and leaders who shared their aspirations and dreams for social and gender justice. Philanthropy has an important role to play in supporting their critical work in shifting gender norms, promoting active citizenship, and driving inclusive community development.

“Berlin done—with a 3:42 PB! It was such a joy to run the 50th Berlin Marathon with its biggest crowd of professional and amateur runners ever, in support of EMpower and their work in Ukraine. I’m excited for the final leg of this fundraiser—the incredible Chicago Marathon—and, of course, for some deep-dish pizza after! In the meantime, please keep supporting the girls—thank you, thank you, thank you!” We’re incredibly fortunate to have amazing supporters like Luda Svystunova. Luda has taken on the challenge of running two marathons and one half-marathon in support of EMpower and NGO Girls our Ukrainian grantee partner. Luda will be running the Chicago Marathon next on the 13th of October. Show your support for Luda’s incredible efforts: https://lnkd.in/gty3Tsh8

Last Thursday, despite the torrential rain in Mumbai, we were thrilled by the strong turnout at our first-ever 'An Evening with Citi and EMpower' at PCO! It was incredibly reaffirming to see so many stakeholders from different sectors come together, all united by a shared commitment to creating brighter futures for young people living at the margins. 🌟 For 11 years, EMpower has proudly partnered with Citi e for Education. Together, we’ve supported over 178,000 young people, helping them access education and essential support. It was a pleasure sharing more about how we are partnering with local communities to shift the needle on young people’s empowerment. We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who joined us. Your presence and passion made the evening unforgettable, and we’re so grateful for your interest in our work. If you’d like to be part of this journey, we’d love to continue the conversation! Here are some snapshots from the evening! 📸