The Empowerment Collective (EC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded by Nasreen Sheikh in 2018. EC is dedicated to empowering women in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in Nepal and India and raising global awareness of the challenges women in the developing world face: exploited labor, forced marriage, and extreme poverty. According to the United Nations, as of 2022 more than 50 million people are trapped in modern-day slavery and over 70% of them are women and girls.At our empowerment centers women receive stipends during their training and develop the confidence and skills to become artisans and entrepreneurs in the fair-trade industry. Day to day life is underpinned by the 7 keys for global human rights: protected environment, clean water, nutritious food, safe shelter, quality education, health care and access to technology. We currently have two empowerment centers in Nepal and are planning a third center in Bihar India along the Nepalese border.  With the comprehensive support EC provides, women participate in programs anywhere from six months to four years depending on their goals, personal skill sets and the complexity of training they choose to pursue. Once women graduate from their apprenticeship they are ready to become mentors at our centers or work independently; fully equipped with the knowledge, skills and networks to live an empowered life.