Empowering Lives International
Together we are Igniting World Changers!
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Empowering Lives International works to see the poor and oppressed (currently in East Africa) equipped with life skills to crush poverty, deepening relationships with Christ, and the communications tools to share their knowledge, training, and practical experience with others. Poverty is systemic; it does not have a single cause nor source. We are not in the work of treating the symptoms. We seek the origins of communal and individual poverty. We believe that it takes four forms: emotional, social, physical, and spiritual. Each of these areas must be addressed in order for there to be holistic and transformational change. Currently, a unique door has opened to minister to, journey with, and empower women who brew moonshine and whose husbands are alcoholics. As these moms are equipped with skills in agribusiness, running a small kiosk, cooking and selling french fries, tea, and donuts, making liquid soap, bread baking, and more they are able to leave the illicit trade of brewing. Many
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Through Sponsorship, we provide care to orphans at our Children's Homes in Kipkaren and Ilula, Kenya. We also support schools and educational programs in DR Congo and South Sudan.
Training and Development
Through Training Centers and Extension Programs, we provide training and skills to the vulnerable poor. These trainings teach skills and methods based on local resources for sustainable change that they can share with others so that there is a multiplication of knowledge takes place.
Water wells
Providing clean water wells to communities and schools in Tanzania
Where we work
External reviews
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Every mom and dad should have the opportunity to provide for their family. Strategic trainings empower people with the ideas, tools, and skills to implement a whole new life . . . and change their world. We are Igniting World Changers. We long to see communities as a whole transform one family at a time.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We are equipping people with life skills to generate a dignified income, the ability to deepen their relationships with Christ, and the communications tools to pass on their knowledge and capabilities to others.
Whether this is through our Children’s Homes which serve more than 300 orphans in Kenya, our school in Bukavu, DR Congo for 650 K-12 students, or our community programs throughout East Africa we are Igniting World Changers. Through a decentralized approach, we have a collection of staff, teams, and field representatives strategically placed in key communities. They are building relationships at four different levels: awareness, training, coaching, and finally mentoring.
Awareness: Giving people new eyes to see their circumstances, surroundings, and situations. Inspiring them with new ideas and innovative concepts. Breaking apart and dispelling the lies that people have been telling themselves.
Training: Equipping people to implement dynamic and practical tools. Instilling disciplines for success. Asking questions instead of giving answers to stimulate critical thinking.
Coaching: Journeying with people as they begin to experience success and encouraging them in their struggles as they grow and learn. Fostering a culture of continuous and lifelong learning. Incorporating accountability for the disciplines learned from training. Asking more questions, giving fewer answers.
Mentoring: Committing to walk alongside someone for a long period of time to champion their success. Relating at deep levels across all spans of life.
A multitude can become aware. A group can be trained. A small selection can be coached. The few with greatest potential can be mentored.
The only way to launch and sustain exponential impact is through intentional leadership development. Strong, good, and healthy leaders are essential because they bear and cast vision, but that's not all: they also "walk the walk" so others can follow. People will only emulate things that are proven to work. When capable implementers begin to teach, people listen because it's been proven with their lives.
We keep a keen eye on the lookout to identify and ‘hone in’ on leadership potential. The more time, effort, and energy are spent pouring into leaders instead of followers, the sooner that a tipping point is reached.
You can only mentor someone who has been coached. You can only coach someone who has been trained. You can only train someone who is aware.
Finally, those who are mentored can then begin the entire process again within their own spheres of influence to widen the reach, spread the impact, and multiply the results. As they do, more and more people begin this multiplication journey. People are excited to dive deeper, and the movement has taken on a life of its own.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Through our trained staff with experience in community development, leadership development, agriculture, business, entrepreneurship, addiction counseling, and more we meet people where they are and at times bring them to our facilities for concentrated training and empowerment. Additionally, our Children’s Homes in Kenya serve as home for more than 300 orphans (120+ of whom are now in college/university).
We use databases, mapping, baseline surveys, and more to identify needs and opportunities as well as track progress over the strategic implementation of our programs.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
We are in the first year of a five year strategic plan that will see World Changers being ignited. As we continue to execute our plans and pursue God’s wisdom we believe that many lives will be impacted and empowered across East Africa. Through partnerships with churches, businesses, groups, and individuals we are able to target communities that are ready, eager, and excited to experience transformation. We believe that over the coming years we will be able to walk alongside 50-75 communities across 10 African nations. This could result in tens of thousands of moms, dads, and children becoming World Changers.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Empowering Lives International
Board of directorsas of 05/13/2022
Ron Higgins
No
Ron Higgins
No Affiliation
Don Rogers
No Affiliation
Cheryl Demetre
No Affiliation
Joseph Stevick
No Affiliation
Marijo Bos
No Affiliation
Liz Stafford
No Affiliation
Mike Chong Perkinson
No Affiliation
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data