empowered - Blog

Support Naomija

Sun, 21 Sep 2025 19:30:00 +0000

Naomija is a bright and determined young girl from Valmiera. She studied at “Universum”, a school based on Montessori pedagogy, as well as at Valmiera Gymnasium. Two years ago, she took part in the scholarship competition announced by Exupery International School (EIS). Out of nearly 150 applicants, with her perseverance and talent she won an 85% scholarship to study at EIS.

This past year at EIS has given her so much—Naomija has flourished both academically and personally, taking full advantage of the opportunity to study in an international environment. She now has one more year left in the International Baccalaureate programme. However, her family, with nine children, unfortunately cannot afford the remaining 15% of tuition and food expenses.

For a full year already, Naomija has received support from our EIS community donors—and it is thanks to this support that she has been able to stay at school and continue pursuing her dreams. This year, helping is even easier: the EmpowerEd Foundation has been granted public benefit organization status, which means that donors supporting Naomija are also eligible for tax relief.

We believe that together we can help Naomija continue what she has started. Every donation—big or small—will be a step closer to ensuring she can finish her education at EIS and confidently move forward toward her dreams.

With your support, Naomija will not only complete her education but also gain the opportunity to inspire other young people by showing that faith, hard work, and community support can change lives.

Our details:

EMPOWERED FOUNDATION
Reg. no.: 40008337288
Jaunā iela 8, Piņķi, LV2107, Latvia

IBAN: LV21HABA0551058880967

Payment purpose: Donation for Naomija

Exupery International School Students Support Dzīvnieku Draugs Shelter

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 18:09:00 +0000

On April 9th, Exupery International School students visited Dzīvnieku Draugs shelter Dzivnieku Draugs. As part of the Fox Den and IB Business class project, where students developed their own merchandise and sold it at a fair, all the proceeds were donated to the shelter. This generous contribution will go towards the care of the shelter’s furry residents.

This Initiative teaches the IB Business course objective of corporate social responsibility and aligns with EIS mission of nurturing compassionate and responsible global citizens.

Kudos to our Business Management students and their teacher, Līga Piļkēviča, and a heartfelt thank you to the shelter for the warm welcome and the work they do!

How Community Support Sent Suhani to the Vilnius International Project Olympiad

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 17:04:00 +0000

At The Empowered Foundation, we believe in the power of community to uplift young people with talent, vision, and purpose. Today, we are delighted to celebrate an inspiring achievement made possible through the generosity and unity of the Exupery International School community.

We are proud to share that our G11 scholarship student, Suhani Sahu, has been selected as a finalist at the Vilnius International Project Olympiad (VILIPO) — a prestigious international competition that brings together young innovators solving real-world challenges.

Her journey to this stage was made possible thanks to direct community donations following our call to action shared through Toddle and other school communication channels.
Your contributions funded Suhani’s travel, accommodation, and participation fees — allowing her to represent Exupery and Latvia on an international scientific stage.

A Finalist at VILIPO: Innovation With Impact

Suhani’s engineering project,
“Enhancing Earthquake Resilience in Stilt Houses: Experimental Investigation,”
is a remarkable demonstration of her scientific talent and her deep commitment to sustainability and community safety.

Her project investigates how to improve the stability and resilience of homes built on stilts in earthquake-prone regions — a topic with real-world, life-saving implications for vulnerable communities.

Being selected as a finalist for VILIPO is an extraordinary achievement and speaks to Suhani’s dedication, creativity, and scientific excellence.

A Heartfelt Thank You to the EIS Community

We extend our deepest gratitude to every parent, student, teacher, and member of the EIS community who responded to our call for support.

Through your donations via Toddle and other communication networks, you made Suhani’s participation in this international event possible.
Your generosity shows what a community can achieve when it believes in the potential of its students.

This is the heart of The Empowered Foundation:
✨ creating opportunities
✨ supporting student dreams
✨ empowering young changemakers

Cheering for Suhani!

Suhani will compete in Vilnius from May 1–5, 2025, and we could not be prouder.
We know she will shine — through her scientific insight, her dedication, and the courage to innovate for a better world.

Congratulations, Suhani!
We believe in you, and we are cheering for you every step of the way.

EmpowerEd Supports the First-Ever “Fox Den” at EIS

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Ever heard of Shark Tank? Welcome to the EIS Fox Den—a new initiative at the Exupery International School, made possible with the support of the EmpowerEd Foundation.

In November 2024, Grade 12 IB Business Management students, guided by their teacher Ms. Līga Piļkēviča, welcomed parents from the EIS community to join them as mentors, judges, and investors in this first-ever event. Inspired by the award-winning U.S. show Shark Tank, the Fox Den challenged students to develop original school merchandise and pitch their ideas in a real-life business setting.

Working in teams, the students created product concepts for a hoodie, a winter jacket, a T-shirt, and a plush fox toy. To prepare, they conducted market research through surveys and interviews within the EIS community. Armed with these insights, each team presented their pitch to the “Foxes”—the parent investors. The result? Every team secured both investment and mentorship.

Beyond the Classroom

This project was not only about entrepreneurship. With the help of EmpowerEd, the Fox Den also became a platform for social good. By using EmpowerEd’s tools for managing payments and sales, the initiative set a clear mission: all profits from the final products will be donated to charity.

The chosen causes include:

An animal shelter
SOS Bērnu ciemati
Biedrība Universum

Final products were available for sale at the EIS Christmas Bazaar, where the community could support the students’ work while contributing to these organizations.

A Community Effort

We are deeply grateful to the students of EIS for their creativity and courage, to Ms. Piļkēviča for her leadership, and to the “Foxes” who gave their time and expertise: Vladimir Titov, Jānis and Ieva Strēlnieki, Pavel and Olga Vanag, and Margarita and Emils Eversi.

At EmpowerEd, we believe education is at its strongest when it connects classroom learning with real-world impact. The Fox Den is a clear example of how schools, families, and communities can come together—not only to foster innovation, but also to create positive change in society.

Go, Exupery Foxes!