Empower Asia

Welcome

Empower Asia is the key project of Empower International Trust which is a New Zealand government registered charity. Whilst we are a Christian based organisation, we are not affiliated to any particular group, church or denomination.

Empower Asia was originally the vision of a New Zealand couple, Paul and Carlie Somerville. They moved to Thailand in 1990 and commenced working amongst pre- teenage boys who were working for a gang that pimped them out as prostitutes to foreign male sex tourists in Patpong, Bangkok.

Over a period of four years the Somervilles planted two homes in Thailand. Following this the mission was invited to develop homes to teenagers in other countries.

At present we have eleven homes spanning four nations: two homes each in Thailand and Cambodia with three in Burma and Nepal.

We care full time for about one hundred and fifty young people aged from about 14 years up. Additionally, we care for another thirty young people who are attending university, trade training colleges or doing theological studies.

Our aim is to establish a network of indigenous operated leadership development homes for impoverished teenagers from ethnic groups that have historically misunderstood or have not known about God’s grace and kindness to all mankind.

Whilst we are a Christian based organisation, we work with young people from a broad range of religious and cultural backgrounds. Most of our children come from difficult and somewhat dysfunctional family backgrounds.

Our four girls’ mentoring homes always aim to take girls in who we believe display the social parameters of being at-risk to being sold or tricked into prostitution or other forms of abuse.

Empower Asia is not dependent on western personnel. Instead we have a very strong emphasis on empowering local indigenous leaders of good reputation and standing within their communities to “own” the ministries. This is why we have expanded so effectively.