How a Journey of the Heart Sparked a Global Movement to Empower Vulnerable Children

The Beginning: A Journey of Compassion and Purpose (2017)

In August 2017, Lee Willwerth boarded a plane to South Africa with his wife and two teenage children—nervous, unsure of what to expect, but hopeful. It was their first time leaving the continent, and their destination was the Middelburg Care Village—a youth and child care home far from the rhythms of life they knew. They went as part of a church mission trip, but Lee had no idea that the people he would meet there would forever reshape his understanding of purpose, leadership, and what it truly means to help.

When they arrived, the children at the Care Village were understandably distant. They had never met foreigners, and trust wasn’t something that came easily in their world. But slowly, with simple questions—"What do you dream of becoming?"—the walls began to fall. The answers were raw and real.

Doctor. Social worker. Movie star.

These were not empty dreams. These kids were passionate, smart, and determined. But behind those dreams, Lee saw the weight they carried: broken pasts, trauma, and the reality that, despite the best efforts of the Care Village, few children had ever left with the means to support themselves.

He came home shattered. The poverty wasn’t just material—it was systemic. These kids were being launched into adulthood with a sixth-grade education, no job skills, and a 60% national unemployment rate waiting for them.

“Lee couldn’t forget their faces. He couldn’t go back to life as usual.”

Determined to make a difference, he co-founded Care Village Outreach Inc., a U.S. nonprofit created to support the children of Middelburg Care Village—through resources, funding, supplies, and small but meaningful improvements to their daily lives. Over the years, it made a real difference. But eventually, a deeper truth emerged: You can’t fix the symptoms without healing the system.

From Awareness to Action:

Confronting Systemic Poverty in South Africa

In February 2022, Lee had a conversation that shifted everything. After a long trip to Africa, the president of Care Village Outreach returned frustrated. Despite their progress, the cycle of poverty remained intact. That’s when it clicked: the organization itself needed transformation.

As the owner of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Ann Arbor, Lee had been running his business on EOS®—the Entrepreneurial Operating System®. It had brought clarity, accountability, and structure. Could it do the same for a nonprofit a world away?

They decided to try. In August 2022, the Middelburg Care Village held its first EOS Focus Day. The leadership team crafted a bold new vision: Every child would leave with the skills, ability, and motivation to become self-sustaining, productive adults—and to give back to their community. The cycle would be broken.

A Game-Changer: How EOS® Transformed

Our Approach to Nonprofit Leadership (2022)

One year later, in their first Annual Planning Session, they had another breakthrough.

To truly reach their vision, they would have to think 10x bigger. That meant: becoming financially independent from the South African government, creating career and life skills training programs to equip young adults, and dreaming beyond what the local economy could support.

The problem? There was simply no way to fund that kind of transformation locally.

But Lee and the team realized something even more profound: EOS alone wasn’t enough. Helping an organization dream bigger without walking the path alongside them was not true help.

These leaders didn’t just need tools—they needed partners.

And so, Empowering Change Inc. was born.

Empowering Change: A Bold Vision

for Sustainable Impact (2023 and Beyond)

Empowering Change was created to support, guide, and fund transformational change in impoverished communities. It connects EOS Implementers, business leaders, and fractional executives with visionary nonprofits in desperate need of leadership support. It builds organizations from the inside out—leveraging EOS, mentoring leadership teams, and walking with them as they build something truly sustainable. What started in Middelburg is now growing across South Africa and beyond.

Beyond Funding: How We’re Building Stronger Nonprofits Through Leadership & Strategy

Empowering Change is more than a coaching or funding organization—it’s a movement built on relationships. At the heart of it is a dream:

To leverage the full power of the EOS community to truly impact the world.

We see an army of highly skilled leaders—Visionaries, Integrators, Implementers, coaches—who have build successful businesses, solved complex problems, and developed powerful tools. And we see a world full of struggling nonprofits—organizations with deep passion and vision, but lacking structure, support, and strategy they need to thrive.

Empowering Change exists to be the bridge. Our role is to connect these two worlds, equipping visionary nonprofit leaders with the tools and talent they need to create lasting transformation in their communities.

A Global Movement:

Connecting Leaders to Transform Communities

But this work doesn’t just change lives in South Africa or anywhere else we serve—it also fills a deeper need within the EOS community. Many of the leaders we engage are successful by every traditional measure but still feel an ache for something more—a desire for meaning, purpose, significance. When they step into this work, it’s not just the nonprofits that are transformed. They are transformed. The impact goes both ways.

This is the power of Empowering Change: it’s not just about solving problems—it’s about awakening purpose. It’s about building a community where skills meet need, where vision meets action, and where leaders from vastly different worlds walk together toward a shared future. What began as one family's journey of the heart has grown into a global movement of transformation—and it's only just beginning.

Creating Lasting Change:

How You Can Help Empower Vulnerable Children

Your Support Can Change a Child’s Future

Millions of vulnerable children in South Africa face poverty, limited access to education, and an uncertain future. But you can be part of the solution. Empowering Change works to provide education, resources, and leadership training to break the cycle of poverty and help children thrive.

Ways to Get Involved

✅ Donate to Make a Difference

Your contribution helps fund education programs, career training, and life skills development for children aging out of orphanages. Give now.

✅ Sponsor a Child’s Education

Provide direct support for a child's schooling, ensuring they have access to books, teachers, and essential resources. Contribute to The Munga Fundraiser and help cover school tuition for the children at Middelburg Care Village.

✅ Join Our Volunteer Network

Become part of our mission by offering mentorship, professional skills, or hands-on support in Africa or remotely. Get involved.

✅ Partner With Us

Are you a business leader, EOS® Implementer, or entrepreneur?

Use your expertise to empower nonprofit organizations and transform communities.

Make an impact!

Every Action Counts—Start Today!

When you give, mentor, or share our mission, you help create sustainable change. Join us in building a future where every child has the opportunity to succeed.

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