EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation

In this month's blog, Kayla Kohlenberg, Development Manager, Initiatives and Events, makes a compelling case for maximising impact through donor-facing events. Kayla delves into strategies for effectively engaging donors and creating meaningful connections that drive support for our mission. Read the full blog: https://lnkd.in/gh_if5pV

Wrapping up our India Youth Fellow Series with Simran! ✨ From driving change in menstrual health awareness to representing EMpower at NGO events, Simran has been a passionate advocate for women and girls. Currently working as a Fellow Outreach with Project Khoj, she balances her role with over seven years of association with EMpower. Simran loves collaborating, learning from diverse perspectives, and contributing to innovative programmes through GAC, all while pursuing her dream of becoming a social worker. Swipe 👉 to learn more about Simran's inspiring journey and message to young leaders! #EMpowerYouthFellows

Cynthia Steele, EMpower President and CEO, recently spoke with Deborah Leaver, EMpower’s Regional Programme Director for East and Southeast Asia and incoming Vice President of Programmes. They discussed her vision for the role, her leadership on our internal climate-focused task force, and what makes EMpower unique. Read the full interview: https://lnkd.in/gQUHYwu8

Following Rekha Nair, EMpower U.S. Board Director, well-deserved win for Excellence in FX Trading at the 2024 Women in Finance Awards, we’re excited to share her feature in the award publication by Markets Media. In the piece, Rekha reflects on her journey in the finance industry, sharing valuable insights on resilience, client relationships, and her future goals. She also discusses her passion for philanthropy and the impactful work she’s doing with EMpower to empower women and youth in emerging markets. 👉 Don’t miss her full interview—read it now!

As the year draws to a close, we’re excited to share a heartfelt message from our Indonesia Youth Fellows (IYFs) to their new friends, the Philippines Youth Consultants. 🌟 After meeting in person and building meaningful connections, the IYFs penned an inspiring end-of-year letter—a message filled with hope, encouragement, and conviction—to celebrate their bond. We couldn’t keep this beautiful message to ourselves. We’re sharing it with you so you can feel the warmth, positivity, and shared purpose that these young leaders embody. 💛

Meet Vansita Zala, a passionate wall designer and painter from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, who brings creativity and artistry to every project she takes on. In 2019-20, she became part of EMpower through Saath Charitable Trust, contributing to impactful women empowerment initiatives, with a special focus on leadership programmes for girls. Vansita deeply values her experience with the Girls Advisory Council (GAC) for its dedication to understanding and addressing the real challenges faced by women and girls, and for its innovative approach to finding solutions. Swipe 👉 to read more about Vanshita's journey, her contributions as a GAC member, and her advice for young people! #EMpowerYouthFellows

Say hello to Preeti! A commercial cab driver with Sakha Cabs & Chauffeurs, Preeti has been breaking barriers in a male-dominated field while doing what she loves—driving four-wheelers. 🚘 For the past three years, Preeti has been a dedicated member of EMpower and a changemaker through the Girls Advisory Council (GAC), where she’s found her voice as a decision-maker, shaping initiatives and programmes that make a difference in the lives of young people. Swipe 👉 to read more about Preeti's journey, her contributions as a GAC member, and the advice she has for other young people! #EMpowerYouthFellows

📢 We’re #hiring! Join EMpower as our Regional Programme Director, East & Southeast Asia based in Ho Chi Minh City. Lead impactful programmes, oversee country strategies (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, HK), and inspire a regional team to drive meaningful change. If you’re a strategic thinker with leadership expertise in the non-profit sector, apply now or share with your network! 📍 Location: Ho Chi Minh City 🗓️ Deadline: 6th January 🔗 Link: https://lnkd.in/giShciiD

During Mental Health Awareness Month in October, EMpower partnered with Radio Workshop (RW) to amplify youth voices and spark critical conversations around mental health. This initiative brought together South Africa Youth Fellows and RW youth reporters, collaborating to highlight the mental health challenges faced by young people, especially during the demanding exam season. 🧠 The partnership focused on empowering young people to lead discussions about mental health, offering peer-driven insights and practical coping strategies. RW youth reporters conducted interviews with SA Youth Fellows, sharing relatable stories that resonated deeply with their peers. 🎙️ These impactful interviews were aired on Community Radio Stations, showcasing youth-led conversations that not only raised awareness but also demonstrated young people’s agency in addressing mental health challenges. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our partner, Radio Workshop, for this meaningful collaboration. The voices of young people, amplified through radio, show how we can effectively raise awareness about mental health while fostering youth-driven solutions. ✨ Don’t miss out—follow our series on Instagram to hear these inspiring conversations! 💬

The Generation Equality Forum, UN Women, has launched the 2024 In-depth Action Coalition on Bodily Autonomy and SRHR Accountability Report, which provides a detailed overview of progress made by 109 Commitment Makers—including governments, CSOs, private sector entities, and youth organizations. As a proud Commitment Maker, Dasra aligns with the forum’s accountability principles and reports its progress annually. We are thrilled to share that this year’s report highlights our ‘Switch The Soch (Switch The Perception)’ campaign as a good practice for engaging #men and #boys on #SRHR. Through active engagement channels and celebrity ambassadors, the campaign has reached 5.4 million people and directly engaged 1.9 million young people through JOSH , a video sharing social media platform in India. This campaign is part of our multi-partner initative Youth Ke Bol —India’s first-of-its-kind, pan-India intervention that has brought together over 1 million young people to become #leaders in voicing their opinion towards the access to #SRH information and services, driving toward a better #qualityoflife for youth across the country. A heartfelt thank you to our YKB partners YuWaah India at UNICEF, Yuvaa, The YP Foundation, Restless Development, Pravah and EMpower—The Emerging Markets Foundation for their unwavering commitment to making the dream of a #1million-youth coalition a reality. Together, we continue to advance the youth-led narrative of ‘Improved Quality of Life’ and strive to create a sustainable future for the coalition and its resources. #Explorethehighlights: 📽 Launch Event Recording: https://lnkd.in/dR9Km9iD Passcode: C12p%0uK 📄 2024 Accountability Report: https://lnkd.in/dj3aMFTX #ThrivethroughEquity #QualityofLife #YouthKeBol Watch the launch video of our #SwitchTheSoch Campaign below