EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation

In this month's blog, Swarnlata Mahilkar, our Senior Programme Officer in India, reflects on her journey and insights from engaging with young people, particularly girls and young women. When it comes to advancing youth centrality and girls' leadership, she explains that shifting the paradigms of power requires a shift in mindsets, too. Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/gVvG9GrT #IDG2024

Introducing our India Girls Advisory Council (GAC)! ✨ Meet Aliya Bhaldar, a GAC Youth Leader and Girls Leaders Lab 2021 alumna. The GAC in India takes the lead on initiatives like grant-making, programme visits, fundraising, board engagement, youth representation, and community-based research—shaping EMpower’s impact in Inclusive Education, Safe and Healthy Lives, and Economic Wellbeing for women and girls. By bringing young voices to the table, the GAC ensures that youth perspectives drive EMpower India’s work in meaningful, impactful ways. Swipe 👉 to know more about Aliya and her journey

Earlier this month, Citi hosted an inspiring event to launch their next generation digital platform—and we were honoured to participate in a fireside chat between Kundhavi Balachandran, our Senior Programme Officer for ESE Asia and Joyce Skidell, Citi’s Head of Asia South Digital FX Sales, celebrating 12 years of partnership! ✨    With Citi teammates from around the globe and clients from across the region joining, this event was an incredible opportunity for EMpower to highlight the importance of education and the profound impact #Citieforeducation has had across East and Southeast Asia.    We are truly grateful for our longstanding partnership with Citi, which has empowered countless young people and created meaningful change in communities around the world.   Here’s to many more years of working together and creating brighter futures. 🍀   #PartnershipsForChange

We’re excited to share that our Mexican youth fellows recently hosted a virtual event for young people in their communities, addressing the pressing issues they face! 🎉 To ensure the event focused on important topics affecting young people, they conducted a survey to gather insights from their peers. This feedback not only shaped the event but also played a crucial role in updating EMpower's country strategy. Curious about how these young leaders took ownership of this initiative and the valuable insights they gained? Read the full article to discover their journey and the importance of investing in youth voices! 👇 #EMpowerYouthFellows #MeaningfulYouthEngagement

On #WorldMentalHealthDay 🌍, EMpower hosted a webinar in South Africa, bringing together young speakers from five of our grantee partners in Johannesburg. The webinar featured a youth panel, with one representative from each organisation, creating a space for young people to learn from one another and engage in meaningful conversations. These inspiring youth leaders shared their expertise and personal experiences with mental health, showcasing the innovative ways their organisations are addressing mental health challenges. 💬 The passion and commitment to mental health advocacy were truly inspiring, with participants calling for further action and collaboration. For many, it was their first time presenting in a webinar, and they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share their journey and learn from each other. We’re proud to keep creating spaces where youth voices are heard, supported, and uplifted. 🌟 How do you think we can better support youth-led conversations around mental health and drive meaningful change in their communities? Share your thoughts in the comments! #MentalHealthMatters #EMpowerYouthFellows

EMpower recently facilitated a two-day Learning Journey in Delhi, bringing together 28 participants from 14 grantee partners across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. This collaborative space focused on the importance of meaningfully engaging young people, using participatory methods, and supporting their economic well-being. With a mix of interactive activities and reflective discussions, the event became a platform for grantee partners to share challenges, best practices, and opportunities for future collaboration. We are especially grateful to members of our Girls Advisory Council (Preeti, Simran, Roshni, Vansita, and Richa) for their insights and real-life experiences, which were truly the heart of this gathering. A heartfelt thank you to our grantee partners for their participation, unwavering commitment, and collaborative spirit. At EMpower, we’re committed to creating spaces that foster learning, innovation, and meaningful partnerships. ✨ Let’s continue this conversation! What’s the most important change we can make today to ensure young people have the tools and opportunities to thrive economically? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below! 👇 Medha, Ritinjali, Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT), Vigyan Foundation, Pravah, Project KHEL, The YP Foundation, @Karm Marg, @JOSH, Nirantar Trust - A Centre for Gender and Education, Ideosync Media Combine, CENTER FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH (CSR), Centre for Advocacy and Research - India.

Recently, Cynthia Steele, EMpower’s President & CEO, visited Värde Partners in Minneapolis to strengthen our collaboration supporting marginalised youth across Asia. Since 2021, Värde Partners, a leading global alternative investment firm, has been a key partner in advancing education, health, safety, and livelihoods for young people in China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and India. Together, we’re creating opportunities and empowering brighter futures for thousands of young people across the globe. 🌏 This visit reaffirmed the power of partnerships between corporations, funders, and local organisations to drive sustainable change. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Kevin Tham, Managing Director of Värde’s Asia Corporate & Traded Credit Investment Team, for his continued leadership and dedication to this cause. 🙌 Check out a few snapshots from the meeting below! 📸 #PartnershipsForChange

Thrilled to share that we’ve been listed as one of the top philanthropic funders of global mental health in Prospira Global’s, ‘Power of Giving’ Report. The report kicks off an annual series on financing, offering insights into the key drivers, barriers, and trends shaping global mental health philanthropy. We are honoured to be recognised among leading funders with a global impact! Download and share the first ever Power of Giving report here > https://lnkd.in/eQ29Cs56

Closing our #InternationalDayoftheGirl series by celebrating the inspiring journey of Faiza Duut Majeed, an aspiring cinematographer from Northern Ghana. After completing training with NiV Hub, an EMpower grantee partner, Faiza now mentors young girls in Nyankpala, Tamale, teaching them photography and videography skills. Faiza’s vision extends beyond her personal growth—she dreams of launching a women-led photography and filmmaking agency and creating a space for young creative artists to collaborate freely. "This dream cannot be achieved without grant opportunities, so I’ll keep trying until Northern Ghana becomes a creative hub led by women. I also hope to further my education through a scholarship to help elevate Ghana’s film industry." With your generous support, programmes like these offered by NiV Hub provide young women with the skills, confidence, and ambition to step into careers they dream of. Faiza’s story shows the transformative power of investing in young girls, enabling them to create change within their communities and make #GirlsVisionforFuture a reality. Read Faiza's inspiring story: https://lnkd.in/gZQ4Pm5F

In September, Simran, a member of our Girl Advisory Council (GAC) in India, spoke at the “Harnessing India’s Youth Dividend” session during A Moment of Shift, hosted by the Ford Foundation. The session explored how youth leadership and philanthropy can drive gender justice and equity. 🌏 ⚖️ Simran shared how being part of the GAC gave her a sense of solidarity and inspired her to pursue higher education, thanks to the encouragement of a fellow GAC leader. She reflected on the personal growth she experienced through her association with EMpower, gaining the confidence to now speak on a stage before a large audience—something she once found difficult, even in small groups. 🎤✨ With her dream of becoming a social worker now within reach, Simran’s journey shows how the right support can open doors and transform aspirations into reality. Sitting alongside top organisations in the field, she embodies #GirlsVisionForTheFuture. #InternationalDayoftheGirl #IDG2024