The Foundation

Who are we and what do we do?

The Empowerment Foundation is a charity with the objective of making groups and individuals aware of their strengths and talents through education, small scale income generating projects abroad, empowerment trainings to migrants and refugees in the Netherlands and other projects that contribute to a more positive image and attitude, emancipation and knowledge transfer through our lifestories method and art.

How it all started

We were founded in January 2005 by three business entrepreneurs who not only wanted to contribute to society through commercial activities, but also by creating alternatives to vulnerable groups and individuals globally. We believe in the talents and possibilities of everyone. In some cases (financial) support is needed to shape a great idea and make it real. After all, a relatively simple idea can make a major difference to the whole community.

In our first years this resulted in six successful projects in three countries: Rwanda, China and the Netherlands.

The Empowerment Foundation manages, guides and initiates projects that make people mentally stronger, more self sufficient and sometimes financially independent. We do this by formulating projects locally in financial and professional terms.

Examples of such projects are:

  • a sewing atelier for girls in Rwanda
  • a cassave mill for war widows in Burundi
  • educational projects in China and Ghana
  • empowerment trainings to migrants and refugees in the Netherlands
  • life stories projects with elderly in Surinam and the Netherlands
  • photo project and literature about the Bhutanese exiles

The Empowerment Foundation supports with:

  • project plan development and writing
  • fundraising
  • commissioning professional volunteers to the project’s local initiators
  • media attention
  • making the projects self sustainable and independent of aid

During our existence we’ve created a network of lawyers, bookkeepers, trainers, teachers, community workers, writers, photographers and other artists who we can connect with specific projects.