ESTHER MWANDIKO KITENGE

A Bit About Esther

Esther Mwandiko Kitenge is a first-generation immigrant who has been passionate about breaking down barriers for immigrant populations long before Elimu Empowerment Services existed. She has worked with multiple immigrant and refugee populations within the healthcare field, and saw constant recurring issues within immigrant families around the education gap. It became evident that US cities lack a place for the international community to go to receive mentorship, tutoring and community accountability.  Without these resources, refugees and immigrants are susceptible to teen pregnancy, low educational performance, bullying, gang violence, low-income jobs, homelessness, and other countless cultural orientation issues.

With the glaring brokenness of education and community support within refugee and immigrant populations, Esther was compelled to start Elimu (translated as “Education) Empowerment Services (EES) grassroots.  At this point, she was already deeply involved in these communities so EES seamlessly inherited the networks of people that she noticed the recurring issues with. 

Since then, EES has built very strong collaborations with multiple organizations in North Carolina, including: African Services Coalition, American Friends Service Committee, YWCA, North Carolina A&T, Guilford College, Council of Culture, the Beloved Community Center and many more. These collaborations would mean very little without the passion driving Elimu.  This passion is connected to the interests and commitment to hearing the voices of refugee and immigrant communities. Elimu exists to influence the immigrant community positively, and to alleviate the social challenges that our public and private institutions systems undergo.  This is an intricate part of EES’s mission, and this organization works diligently to secure the resources required to do just that.

Elimu Empowerment Services sees the importance of community collaboration to strengthen each individual's lifestyle. EES started from a place of community need.  Since our inception, we have used the tools of education, leadership training, career counseling, mentorship, social integration, and employment services to create an environment where participants can evolve into successful contributing members of society. We are innately an impact focused organization. 

Throughout the 12 years of service to the community, EES has shown how much can be done when refugees and immigrants are in charge and are leading the way. Step by step, we are showing American organizations how community-based, community-centered organizations can be far more effective in responding to real needs and problems of immigrants and refugees.