Shifting the Narrative

Have you ever paused to think about the legacy you want to leave behind? Not just in terms of possessions or accomplishments—but the values you stood for and the impact you made. Legacy giving offers a powerful way to ensure your values live on and continue to make a difference in the world, long after you're gone.

I recall a panel of alumna during last year’s International Women’s Day celebrations at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where I teach. After the panelists had responded to the moderator’s questions, the session was opened up to the audience. Suddenly, a man rose from the audience and aggressively started questioning why only women had been included in the panel.

A few weeks ago, I was catching up with an old colleague from my for-profit days. After exchanging updates, she said, with genuine shock, “I can’t believe you’ve survived two years in a nonprofit. And you’re still there?” I laughed, but her comment stuck with me. Two years into this transition, I realised I had indeed “survived”—and, more importantly, I had learned so much.

The impact and influence team at EMpower may be just over a year old, but our journey spans more than 25 years of learning, innovating, growing, and evolving. When we began our programmes, we were humble in our approach, uncertain of our role in the larger ecosystem. Over time, we’ve realised that we not only have a role to play but also a responsibility—to amplify what we’ve learned, to share the insights we’ve gathered, and to contribute to shaping a more just and equitable world.

At EMpower, we believe in the transformative power of bringing people together—to forge connections, inspire action, and catalyse change. Donor-led events are central to our community, helping deepen and widen our collective impact.

With over 10 years of experience working to advance the rights of sexual and gender minorities in West Africa, I began exploring capacity-building initiatives for nascent and small organisations as an independent consultant. This eventually led to my role at EMpower as the Programme Consultant for Nigeria and Ghana in 2022, where I have enjoyed supporting organisations that work with young people (ages 10 – 24), training them in relevant life skills (including self-confidence, decision-making, and communication), fostering physical and mental wellbeing, and providing them with learning opportunities—formal or informal—as well as improving their livelihood opportunities.