What Empower Projects does

Empower Projects is an Australian-registered nonprofit charity (ACN 164 937 982) founded in 2009 in Sydney by Shyamika Peeligama, James Feng and Shanil Samarakoon. The organisation supports marginalised rural communities in Malawi and Sri Lanka through two programmatic pillars: Schools as Sustainability Hubs (combining school meal programs, sustainable agriculture on school land, solar electricity, rainwater harvesting, composting toilets, and reforestation) and Community Cooperatives (farmer training, financial literacy, revolving-fund microloans, and market linkages). Operational technology consists of physical infrastructure — solar electricity systems, rainwater harvesting, permaculture farming methods, composting toilets, and solar irrigation — rather than software products.

The organisation's core operational model is community-led development: local staff and inclusive, democratic committees define priorities and gradually take ownership as Empower Projects' direct involvement decreases. A sister organisation, Empower Malawi (established 2012), provides a local board and staff for the Malawi portfolio, while Sri Lanka delivery is executed through partner organisation Vanni Hope. Programs span four districts — Mchinji (2020-2026), Dowa (2024-2029) and Ntchisi (2024-2029) in Malawi, and Trincomalee (2024-2026) in Sri Lanka — supporting 110 primary schools, 110 cooperatives, 9,000+ students and 2,500+ households, with reported outcomes including a 35% improvement in average monthly household income for cooperative members and a 100% revolving-fund repayment rate.

Revenue is generated entirely through individual donations (preset AU$25–AU$250 tiers plus custom amounts, tax-deductible) and corporate/institutional grants earmarked for specific initiatives. Australian operations are entirely volunteer-run, supporting a stated pass-through of at least 94% of every donation to community programs. With ~12 total staff, no paid Australian headcount, no disclosed revenue or funding rounds, and no technology products or commercial customers, the entity functions as a lean, donor-funded community development vehicle rather than a venture-backed enterprise.

Name

Empower Projects

Legal name

Empower Projects Ltd

Website

https://empowerprojects.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empower Projects is an Australian-registered nonprofit that supports rural communities in Malawi and Sri Lanka through school-based sustainability programs and agricultural cooperatives, funded by individual donations and grants and delivered via local staff and partner organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development and Community Aid

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Agricultural cooperatives
• School sustainability programs
• Rural development nonprofit
• Food security programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals in Australia. Donation amounts include preset options (AU$25, AU$50, AU$100, AU$250) or custom amounts with one-time or full payment frequency.
2. Corporate/Institutional Grants: Funding for specific project initiatives including school meal programs, reforestation, farmer training, and agricultural cooperative support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Empower Projects is a nonprofit organization that funds and delivers community development programs in Malawi and Sri Lanka through two thematic streams: Schools as Sustainability Hubs (school meals, sustainable agriculture, solar electricity, rainwater harvesting, and composting toilets at rural primary schools) and Community Cooperatives (agricultural cooperatives with revolving-fund financing, permaculture and beekeeping training, and market linkages). Programs are funded by individual donations and institutional grants, with at least 94% of donations going directly to community initiatives.

Product overview

Empower Projects is a nonprofit organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer a software product or platform. The organization operates community development programs focused on two thematic areas: Schools as Sustainability Hubs (supporting schools with sustainable agriculture, solar electricity, water systems, and sanitation) and Community Cooperatives (supporting farming cooperatives and livelihood programs). The organization raises donations to fund school meal programs, reforestation initiatives, and farmer/entrepreneur training. Current projects include Mchinji District (2020-2026), Dowa District (2024-2029), and Ntchisi District (2024-2029) in Malawi, and Trincomalee District (2024-2026) in Sri Lanka.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schools as Sustainability Hubs Program Community development program that supports rural primary schools in Malawi as hubs for sustainable practices, delivering school meal programs, sustainable agriculture on school land, solar electricity for lighting and night classes, rainwater harvesting, composting toilets, and donated educational resources.
• Community Cooperatives Program Community development program that supports agricultural cooperatives in Malawi and Sri Lanka through permaculture and beekeeping training, revolving-fund financing for small-home gardens and income-generating activities, financial literacy and cooperative governance training, and market linkages (e.g., guaranteed buyer Honey Den).
• Establish School Meals Programs School-based meal program delivered at supported rural primary schools, providing regular breakfasts (typically 2-3 days per week) using produce cultivated on school land; currently supporting 110 primary schools.
• Reforest Villages Village-level reforestation initiative planting hundreds to thousands of trees in participating communities (e.g., 400+ trees at Katona, 700+ at Mchinji Mission, 1,000+ at Mphanga) to restore vegetation and support environmental sustainability.
• Train Farmers and Entrepreneurs Capacity-building initiative delivering permaculture farming training (composting, mulching, companion planting, swales), financial literacy, business, and cooperative governance training to community members and lead farmers, in partnership with the Ministry of Trade (Malawi).

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,500+ households impacted
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vanni HopecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Local partner organization in Sri Lanka that collaborates with Empower Projects to support locally led initiatives in Trincomalee District. Together with Empower Projects, revitalized the Puthumai Women's Cooperative through training and targeted funding.
• Empower MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Sister organization established in 2012 to ensure projects are championed by a local board and staff with deep knowledge of the language, culture, and context in Malawi. Reflects commitment to local ownership and leadership.
• Ministry of Trade (Malawi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing training in financial literacy, business, and cooperative governance for agricultural cooperatives supported by Empower Projects.
• Ministry of Education (Malawi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government education office collaborating with Empower Projects on school-based sustainability programs in Malawi districts.
• Honey DenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGuaranteed buyer of wild honey from Mtenjemanga Cooperative, providing market access for the beekeeping cooperative's honey production.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Trócaire: Irish international development agency supporting livelihoods, education, and human rights in the Global South, including Sri Lanka. Comparable community-led development focus in Sri Lanka's Trincomalee-adjacent regions.

Direct peers

• WaterAid: International NGO focused on clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in developing countries. Overlaps directly on Empower Projects' rainwater harvesting and composting toilet components in schools and rural communities.
• One Acre Fund: Large-scale nonprofit serving smallholder farmers in Africa with inputs, training, and market access. Highly comparable model: rural livelihoods, agricultural cooperatives, and farmer training in Sub-Saharan Africa with community-led delivery.
• Farm Africa: UK-based charity working with smallholder farmers and cooperatives in eastern Africa on sustainable agriculture and market access. Closely mirrors Empower Projects' cooperative-based, training-led model.
• Practical Action: International development organization using sustainable technology (energy, agriculture, water) to combat poverty in developing countries. Closely aligned with Empower Projects' sustainable-tech-in-schools model.
• SolarAid: International nonprofit expanding access to solar lighting in rural Africa. Directly comparable on Empower Projects' solar electricity systems installed in rural schools and cooperatives in Malawi.
• Self Help Africa: NGO supporting smallholder farming cooperatives and rural enterprises across Sub-Saharan Africa. Directly comparable agricultural cooperative, livelihood-strengthening model operating in Malawi-adjacent geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Concern Worldwide: Large Ireland-based humanitarian organization working on livelihoods, education, and health in the world's poorest countries. Overlaps on Empower Projects' community-led development approach in Malawi at much larger scale.
• BRAC: Large global development organization running microfinance, education, agriculture, and health programs in developing countries. Overlaps on Empower Projects' cooperative development, education, and community empowerment model.
• CARE International: Major international humanitarian NGO focused on poverty alleviation, women's empowerment, and community-led development. Comparable on Empower Projects' rural livelihoods and women's cooperative programming in Malawi and Sri Lanka.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EmpowerprojectsOrg
• Facebookfacebook.com/empowerprojects
• Instagraminstagram.com/empowerprojectsorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empowerprojectsngo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empower Projects