Last week, EMPOW3R received a much-anticipated approval for a new round of funding from the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. This news took me back to the beginning of my journey with VEEES in 2019 when I was a newcomer to Canada and the nonprofit leadership space. In my first month, I embarked on the task of co-writing a grant proposal with Kiwassa Neighborhood House that would ultimately secure funding for what we now proudly call the EMPOW3R program.

EMPOW3R is an all-encompassing wrap-around program for women who wish to work with children as ECEAs, pursue a career, & get out of poverty. Our participants who self-identify as survivors of violence, abuse, and trauma sometimes continue to face these challenges in their lives. With this in mind, we have developed support within the program to overcome these barriers.

EMPOW3R was born out of the collective vision of empowering immigrant women like me to thrive, succeed, and contribute meaningfully to society. This program has not only transformed my life but has also profoundly impacted countless other immigrant women. Over 200 participants and 18 cohorts later, the ripple effect of this program is being felt across the ECE community and is touching the lives of immigrant women in a meaningful way.

Ashmita, an EMPOW3R graduate shared, “I have been trying for 4 years after arriving in Canada to start my career as an educator. Not being able to contribute financially to my household felt very devastating for me. But now I find new hope. EMPOW3R has benefited me in many ways. It has improved my personality, my mental health, and my (family) relationship. Every morning now, I am always excited to start my new career as an early childhood care & educator. I now have a lot of friends from class that I am still in touch with after completing the course. I am more of a positive person now.”

We are grateful to all EMPOW3R participants for going on this journey with us, to our community & employment partners for their unending support, to the fantastic Kiwassa team for their championing of this work, and to the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills for providing the resources to make this program a reality.

Together, we are rewriting our stories, breaking down barriers, and empowering each other to reach new heights. EMPOW3R is not just a program; it is a movement reshaping the narrative for immigrant women, one success story at a time.