Empowerment Square was founded in New York City in 2017 by Ansa Noreen. Ansa is an immigrant from Pakistan and a survivor of human trafficking and domestic violence. Since escaping her traffickers in 2016, she has become a proud New Yorker and entrepreneur. In Pakistan, she was a well-known entrepreneur in fashion and textile design. As the founder and CEO of Empowerment Square, Ansa works to help survivors rebuild their lives from the ground up. Empowerment Square offers a safe and inclusive space where survivors can learn professional and social skills, build their community, and share their strengths. Ansa and her team of dedicated volunteers run a 5 steps program, “Elevate to Empower” for women in shelters. In the first Phase, participants receive English language training (6 months). In Phase 2, participants work on their public speaking and leadership skills (3 months). In Phase 3, participants develop financial management and literacy skills (3 months). For a total of 9 months.
Since launching in 2017, Ansa has supported over 200 women, across 5 partner organizations (shelters) supporting female survivors of human trafficking.