SETTING OUT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Help provide safe housing and education to women and girls living in extreme poverty because educated and empowered women transform communities.

Empower and educate women and girls

WANNA SEE A COMMUNITY TRANSFORM?

A woman’s power is the most underestimated thing worldwide, but we know - when women are empowered, communities transform.

388 million women and girls live in extreme poverty around the world, forcing them to be more vulnerable to sexual exploitation. Not having resources makes it more difficult to break the cycle of extreme poverty, and minimize the opportunity of becoming all she can be. We’re on a mission to change that.

Empower women with opportunities

Together, we can give women and girls more equal opportunities.

Here’s how you can help today:

Become a Catalyst for good

Catalysts are monthly donors committed to safeguarding and empowering women and girls to become all they are meant to be. Together, Catalysts provide safe housing and education to women and girls who have been overlooked in extreme poverty areas.

A gift of just $60 a month can support a girl to attend a safe boarding school for an entire school year.

What your support actually says:

YOU ARE worthy

YOU ARE enough

YOU ARE talented

YOU ARE capable

YOU ARE valuable

Our Story

Because of an instinctual urge to go to Africa, and a random conversation, I (Jess) took a trip to Uganda and saw first-hand the differences of available opportunities…especially for women. 

One night I traveled to a local village to speak with a group of 20 women involved in sex work. Acknowledging my privilege into which I was born, I had no idea what to share with them.  I’ve never been in their shoes..

And that’s when I shared all I knew in that moment:
how incredibly worthy, valuable and capable they are.

17+

girls in safe housing, attending school, and surrounded by a community where they feel valued, supported and loved.

YOU ARE exists to be a light of love and empowerment for women and girls around the world.

For women and girls rising out of poverty and exploitation, this is shown through providing clean water, food, a safe place to lay her head, holistic health services, and providing education. Most importantly, she is intertwined within a community where she feels loved, heard and validated in who she is, and a path towards who she wants to become.

For women entrepreneurs or business owners, this is shown through a community where she feels empowered to utilize her gifts and talents, make an impact for women and girls across the globe, and build her brand equity of being a source of light and love.

Women rooting for women around the world.

Hear empow-HER stories

The communities we serve are filled with some of the most inspiring women and girls you’d ever want to meet. Their stories of ingenuity and resilience are examples for us all.

Featured
The story of meeting grace
The story of meeting grace

After nearly three years of waiting, I boarded a flight to Uganda. As you know, the pandemic closed doors to traveling, but it also opened doors to new ideas and opportunities.

Read More →
the reminder we all need
the reminder we all need

A woman met us at the van and directed us toward the back of a concrete building. I turned around to see the driver and the men who rode with us staying behind. At that moment, I knew this was something intimate.

Read More →

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Did you know that when girls start their periods in extreme poverty areas, most of society sees them as a waste of money to go to school? Because it's time for them to get married, have babies, and live up to societal norms. ⁠ ⁠ YOU ARE CO. is sponso
1.7 MILLION FEWER malnourished children...all because a girl had an opportunity to go to school. If that shocks you, go ahead and share on your story and tag us! Because that's exactly why YOU ARE exists. So more girls have an equal opportunity to be
While kids are enjoying their summer breaks here in the US, they will soon be preparing to return to school in a little over a month, and it's got us thinking of how school is such a privilege. ⁠ ⁠ Did you know that over 129 million girls aren't able
Want to make a greater impact? Empower a woman. Research shows an empowered woman impacts at least four people around her.⁠ ⁠ In developing countries, women lack equal opportunities to become self-sufficient for themselves and their families. YOU ARE
Take a moment to think about how education has empowered you. From learning new skills to being equipped to do a job well, it is essential to our self-efficacy. Find out how you can empower women and girls through education with the link in bio.⁠ ⁠ #
"They're coming. I see them running." This week, our Founder and local leads are meeting the girls attending boarding school. We don't know who is more excited to meet and hug one another finally.⁠ ⁠ At YOU ARE, we run to every opportunity
What would you write? YOU ARE _______.⁠ ⁠ These inspiring secondary girl students volunteered to write empowering beliefs on the back of each soap. As we shared the mission and heart of YOU ARE with them, we also asked them to take in each reminder.⁠
At the end of this month, our Founder is traveling to Uganda to visit the seven girls being sponsored to attend boarding school and connect with our local partners.⁠ ⁠ We are so grateful to work alongside local partners who are passionate about empow
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated to our soap drive! 🧼 Your generosity will help make a difference in the lives of women and girls in Uganda.⁠ ⁠ Let's continue to spread love and kindness one bar of soap at a time. ❤️⁠ ⁠ #donate #givebac
We're looking forward to recreating this memory this summer. Because of you, more than 100 women and girls in Uganda will receive a luxury bar of soap! This is more than a bar of soap, it's an opportunity to hear their hopes and dreams and who they w