Empower and Shine

Empower and Shine Our mission is simple: to uplift those who’ve ever felt unseen. We believe in the strength within—soft yet unyielding.

True healing begins with love, dignity, and a hand up, not a hand out. Together, let’s rise up and shine

Instagram: .and.shine

12/06/2026

🇰🇪 Kenya Fun Fact

In parts of Kenya, flying termites are considered a delicacy.

After the first rains, people often set out lights at night to attract the termites as they emerge from their mounds. The termites are then collected and roasted or fried for a crunchy, protein packed snack.

Suddenly those airport pretzels don’t seem so adventurous. 😆

Would you try it? 👇🇰🇪🐜

12/06/2026

Uganda Will Have to Wait. Kenya Won’t. 🇺🇬➡️🇰🇪

As many of you know, we were planning to return to Uganda this August to unveil the Field of Dreams and celebrate more than 1,000 Street Business School graduates in Buliisa.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak and restrictions on large gatherings, those plans have been postponed for now.

The good news? Our trip is still very much on.

This August, Empower & Shine will travel to Kenya to celebrate hundreds of Street Business School graduates. It will be our first trip to Kenya, and we’re excited to be there as these entrepreneurs take the next step in their journey.

While we’re disappointed that our Uganda plans have been delayed, we’re already looking at tentative dates after the first of the year to return and celebrate all that’s waiting for us there. The Field of Dreams will still be there, and so will the incredible people we’ve been looking forward to seeing.

For now, we’re making a few adjustments, embracing the change, and getting excited for our first Empower & Shine adventure in Kenya.

Uganda will have to wait. Kenya won’t. Let’s go.

11/06/2026

“When you put good into the world, it has a way of finding its way back, always.” -Joelle Lever

Sometimes it’s a smile.

Sometimes it’s encouragement.

Sometimes it’s handing someone a $2 bill.

Sometimes it’s a helping hand when someone needs it most.

And sometimes it’s adopting a dog named Bob.

You may never know how far a small act of kindness travels, but it matters.
Keep putting good into the world.
It always finds its way home.

11/06/2026

Esperanza Children’s Home was not what I expected.

When most people hear the word orphanage, they picture something sad or dreary. This was the complete opposite.

The facility is beautiful. Spotless dorms, colorful buildings, shaded play areas, and a brand new baby ward that is simply incredible. Everywhere we looked, there was care, pride, and attention to detail.

Most of the children were at school when we visited, but the ones we met were happy, playful, and clearly well cared for. What struck me most was that it didn’t feel institutional. It felt like a big family.

And maybe the most powerful part? Two former orphans now work there.

This isn’t just a place where children stay. It’s a place where they are loved, supported, and given the opportunity to build a future. In some cases, it’s a place they care about so deeply that they come back to help the next generation growing up there.

We left incredibly impressed by what has been built here and grateful for the people who make it all possible every day.

If you’d like to support Esperanza, they are always in need of food, personal care items, cleaning supplies, and other everyday essentials. After touring the facility, we can tell you that every donation is put to good use.

Esperanza is doing remarkable work, and they are absolutely worth supporting.

❤️ Empower & Shine

10/06/2026

We went down to Rocky Point to spread some love at Barb’s Dog Rescue, and somehow I came home with Bob.

Bob has spent the past year at Barb’s under their loving care, and I am so grateful for the work they do for him and all the dogs who come through their rescue.

Thank you to the Barb’s team for loving him, feeding him, keeping him safe, and giving him the care he needed until we found each other.

He is officially home, officially family, and hands down my favorite souvenir I have ever brought home from any vacation.

Welcome home, Bob. We love you. ❤️

To know her is to love her!🤗 Taking over here today to share about the woman behind the Instagram at Empower and Shine- ...
10/06/2026

To know her is to love her!🤗 Taking over here today to share about the woman behind the Instagram at Empower and Shine- Joelle! She is too humble to tell you herself, but she is living our mission day in and day out. One of the ways she’s spreading some sunshine is with her Love Bags. In about 8 months, she’s handed out over 1400 bags filled with little things like lotion, mints, chapstick, vitamin C and other essentials and fun items. These are given to people she comes across in her day to day life, and she always takes special notice of those who may be overlooked yet are often working the hardest.❤️

Learn more about Joelle’s initiative and why she does what she does in our new blog post. Link in our bio!🎉

08/06/2026

Sneak peek from Barb’s Dog Rescue today… and what a day it was!

We dropped off 220 pounds of dog food, handed out Love Bags, met some incredible people, and got plenty of puppy kisses along the way.

Let’s just say there were a few dogs that made it very hard to leave.

More photos, stories, and wagging tails coming soon. 🐾❤️

08/06/2026

Sun, sand, Love Bags, and the hottest currency in Mexico… $2 bills. 😎

We’ve been soaking up some sunshine, handing out Love Bags, and making new friends one lucky $2 bill at a time. Turns out those little bills are a pretty big hit down here. 🇲🇽❤️

07/06/2026

Snowy egret? More like sandy egret.

07/06/2026

Yesterday was a good old fashioned errand day for Empower & Shine.

We made a Sam’s Club run for two incredible organizations we’ll be visiting while we’re in Rocky Point.

For Esperanza’s Children’s Home, we loaded up on everything from beans and rice to Oreos and everything in between.

For Barb’s Dog Rescue, we picked up more than 100 pounds of dog food to help feed the nearly 400 dogs in their care.

The best part of the day was filling those carts. Knowing who would be receiving it all made every bag of rice, every package of Oreos, and every pound of dog food worth it.

We also snapped a few photos and videos around town along the way.

Tomorrow we’re headed to Barb’s Dog Rescue, and before we hit the road on Tuesday, we’ll be making a stop at Esperanza’s Children’s Home.

Address

Kigali

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Empower and Shine posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category