OUR MISSION at Empowering Communities Globally: For the Care of Children (ECG) is to reduce the impact of poverty in the world’s marginalized, vulnerated, and underserved populations by empowering communities through participation and education. Through compassionate and holistic early childhood care, development, and education we empower local primary caregivers providing support and access to learn about preventative healthcare, community development, child development and ways to strengthen protective factors. By elevating voices within communities, we encourage and support sustainable community and economic development.
Message During COVID-19
This time is truly unlike any other that we’ve lived through. The global impact of COVID-19 on public health, jobs, education and the economy has called for an unprecedented response at every level.
Empowering Communities Globally: For the Care of Children is working harder than ever to be a voice for children during the coronavirus pandemic. Please consider supporting our work. Below is an update of what we are doing in Colorado, Kenya, and Nicaragua. But we can’t do it alone. That’s why we’re so thankful to have core supporters like you helping to sustain our work.
Colorado: We are working with refugee and immigrant populations providing education and support in early childhood and the COVID-19 situation. The education is provided through classes, workshops, coaching (online one family at a time), and support in locating resources in their first language. We provide the development of well-being plans for parents, children, and families. We also provide activity ideas to do together and individually while the “stay at home” and “safe at home” orders continue. If you know of families needing support, please connect us – we are providing the family coaching as a free service (the first session is free for those who can afford the service– those who are financially struggling, all sessions are free). We are encouraging families to reach out and find support during this unusual time.
Refugee And Immigrant Women Show Promise As A Pipeline For New Colorado Early Childhood Educators
Pamoja is collaboration between inspiring and dedicated refugee and immigrant women and mothers in our Colorado communities, Empowering Communities Globally for the Care of Children, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, and our amazing partners including Boomers Leading Change, Mile High early Learning, Spring Institute, Red Rocks Workforce Innovations and funders Rose Community Foundation and Early Milestones. Read more…
Fatima Boubina
Khan Mwezi helps her daughter, Martinode, with schoolwork at their home in Aurora, Nov. 14, 2020.
Kevin Mohatt/For CPR News
Masuma Adelzada
In the news:
- June 23, 2021: Newsletter from Council for Professional Recognition
Fatima Boubina: Lighting the Way for Young Learners
Masuma Adelzada: Finding Refuge and a Future in the U.S. - January 12 2021: On Colorado Public Radio News
Refugee And Immigrant Women Show Promise As A Pipeline For New Colorado Early Childhood Educators
Kenya: We continue to provide information to our partner organization, Mama Beth’s. They are purchasing large quantities of food to distribute to the families in the Kijabe community who have young children and who have so graciously taken in other children (many of the orphans from Mama Beth’s). Please see the photos below. Many of the families had either seasonal or temporary jobs for employment and are no longer employed due to COVID-19. So they have joined forces to purchase food in Nairobi ,bring to Kijabe, sort, and distribute. The supply chains have been so impacted that little food is getting to Kijabe. When the food is distributed, they are using this as an opportunity to provide all family members with information and demonstrations, such as hand washing and appropriate mask wearing and modeling physical distancing. In addition, they are providing ideas to engage in family activities to keep children learning. In the US, we do not have to worry too much as our systems allow for us to move much of our children’s education online. It is not ideal, however it is an option. In Kijabe, this is not an option.
Nicaragua: Our community group has continued to work with home visits and community workshops – AND – modeling how to uphold physical distancing, encouraging mask wearing, providing information from WHO on COVID-19, developing well-being family plans, providing educational activities to do with their children at home and providing community workshops and story hours. The Ministry of Health recognizes the work we do as aligned and valuable. Our community providers are limited in funds and supplies to support this work like so many health programs during this time. While the group continues this critical work, it is also important for them to keep food on the table for their family. The cost is $50 a week per team member to work with over 35 families a week, provide 4 story hours and 4 community workshops. That is less than $1.25 per family to learn about age appropriate and healthy ways to address the pandemic and ensure children keep learning. This is why even $20 a month can make a big difference!
At a time when so many people are feeling the impact of the pandemic, we’re working to make sure the needs of those who are often invisible or unseen. We know times are uncertain for many right now. However, even $10/month can make such a difference to many children and families who need our help. With your help, we can advocate and continue our support for underserved children and their families.
Where We Work
Kijabe, Kenya is a city with a population around 22,000. Kijabe, is a Maasai word that means “Place of the Wind.” It stands on the edge of the Great Rift Valley at an elevation of 2200m and is located about 50 kilometers north-west of the capital city of Nairobi. Kijabe is quite poor and many of the children living there do not complete high school.
ECG has developed a partnership with Mama Beth’s Orphanage, which is located in Kijabe. Mama Beth’s is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organization that provides fundamental support to children who truly need it and focuses on helping the orphaned, poor, abused, and abandoned street children in Kenya. For thirty-five years Mama Beth has been taking care of children who are without parents or whose families are unable to provide care.
The 5-Step Model to Empower Communities For Sustainable Change
Community
Empowering Communities Globally is invited by local communities to bring our 5-step model to train local promoters within the community.
- Build lasting relationships
- Community-driven change
Eduation
Based on local needsassessment, we build capacity in:
- Participatory actionresearch skills
- Early childhood andeducation
- Preventative health andnutrition practices
- Entrepreneurial skills
- Mentorship skills
Participation
Collaborate with community members of all ages initiates change through shared vision, goals, and challenges:
- Home visits
- Community workshops
- Story hours
- Community-led projects
Empowerment
Capacity building leads to attitude changes, resulting in increased confidence in:
- Networking skills
- Decision-making
- Financial stability
- Growth and development through monitoring and assessment
Transformation
Empowerment sets the foundation for transformation moving towards social and ecological awareness.
- Daily behaviors change
- Sustainable change becomes a reality
Our Commitment to Racial Justice and Equity
Children and families from underserved communities are the center of our work. Upholding and protecting their human and constitutional rights is key. Inclusion, social and ecological justice sit as our solid pillars critical to the personal development of all our members, the community well-being for those we serve, and to our organization’s growth. Empowering Communities Globally does more than adopt standards of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion practices. We acknowledge and actively implement processes that disrupt systemic inequities. We support an individuals’ well-being as we understand this also supports organizational health and resilience alongside the increase of open-mindedness, acceptance, and innovation. The voices of staff are actively included to develop and shift policies on an ongoing basis. We work to accommodate the unique needs of single moms; cultural, religious, ability, and language diversity. We use a collective accountability framework as we fail forward working toward creating a more just world. Even if we did not directly cause the harm, we have responsibility to remedy it. Using self-awareness practices and self inquiry we respond to personal, community, and global issues creating societal change through effectively collaborating with communities, and having the communities voices lead the change. We hold grace and space for mistakes and together we face our fears and name them.
Empowering Communities Globally has constructed five schools and a library. The photos is of the school in El Libino, Nicaragua. It is a primary and preschool. The school has been open since 2013 and serves over 300 children each year.
EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES
GLOBALLY
PO Box 2154
Boulder, CO 80306
(303) 527-2742
Non-Discrimination Policy
Empowering Communities Globally follows an equal opportunity employment policy that applies to all employees, volunteers, members, clients, and contractors without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, disability status, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status. The coverage of this policy includes internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, terminations, delegation members, project participants, use of contractors and consultants, and dealings with the general public.
Empowering Communities Globally is a 501(c)3; Founded in 2004; Incorporated in Colorado, USA; Tax deductible
Click here to view the financial documents for Empowering Communities Globally