our mission
EmpowerU partners with organizations at home and abroad to open doors for young people — connecting Caribbean and minority students to the education, funding, and support they need to grow, learn, and build the future they envision.
the community
ONE
island
TWO
countries
The island of Sint Maarten is one of the most unique niche communities in the world. With over 100 nationalities living peacefully on 37 sq mi island, this new Jerusalem nurtures the world's most diverse minority group. As the people say, "We is two countries, one island, one people. We is Sint Maarten." No two Sint Maarteners move the same, but that energy? Unmistakable.
Here's the tension: Opportunity has always meant leaving. No local pipeline to funding, mentorship, or the networks that turn talent into a career — so the ones with the most to give have had to go find it elsewhere. That's brain drain. And once they're gone, the ties that bring them back thin out fast — a few family calls, an old friend group — while the island itself gets less of their skill, their income, their presence.
That's the gap EmpowerU exists to close: not a talent problem, an infrastructure problem.
empower. educate. expand.
meet our team
Harsha grew up on Sint Maarten in a culture that showed her early what it means to give back: volunteering, social advocacy, protecting the land and culture around you weren't extracurriculars, they were just how you lived.
That foundation took her to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she earned her degree in Electrical
Engineering and further, to Microsoft, where she applies her engineering knowledge as a Platform PM working on AI & emerging technologies for Surface.
She is proof of exactly what Sint Maarten produces when talent gets a runway: an engineer, a builder, a leader shaping the future of tech.
She founded EmpowerU to make sure that runway exists for the next generation — using her platform, her network, and her seat at the table to invest back into the community that raised her.This is what community-oriented leadership looks like: not leaving the island behind, but bringing it with you everywhere you go.
Audrey Urighe, Programs Lead
Audrey was born and raised in Sint Maarten by parents who emigrated from the Dominican Republic. Growing up with limited resources taught her early on that real growth happens outside your comfort zone a mindset that carried her across the globe to complete her bachelor’s degree in the United States and her master’s in Europe.
During her time with NABA at Monroe University, Audrey embraced a core value that defines her work today: lift as you climb. She spent the next five years putting that philosophy into practice, managing grant cycles, mentorship, and training programs across both Europe and the U.S.
As her career expanded, so did her sense of purpose. Audrey shifted her focus from asking "How far can I go?" to "How can I use what I’ve learned to build up my home?"
Today, as Lead Program Manager and Board Member at EmpowerU, Audrey designs and runs initiatives that support Sint Maarten students. For Audrey, this work is far more than program administration it is a deeply personal mission to open doors for the next generation and give back to the island that raised her.
Her Motto: Never stay in your comfort zone. #TogetherWeRise
join our village & help us
Pave the Way
01
Your donations no matter what size can make a difference today in the lives of others. Every $1 you donate supports our organization and partners by funding scholarships, programs and initiatives that empower our community.
02
Participate in Paving the Way by being of service to your community! Share your expertise, write a blog piece about your study, become a mentor, and more.
03
share your story
Help us cultivate our own narrative. Sharing our story does two things: it brings the world's attention to Sint Maarten, and it gives our people a way to find their way back to us. Follow @empoweru.nonprofit.