The Ester Foundation is a non-profit and award-winning foundation established in 2012 by Maria Borelius, Kerstin Thulin and Sofia Altafi.

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The foundation aims at helping foreign born women who want to develop their skills as entrepreneurs. Participants are supported through proven entrepreneurial and mentoring programs that draw inspiration from Muhammad Yunus’s model. Ester's target group have both drive and potential, but lack the support and resources needed to start their own business or take their company to the next level.

 

"In Sweden, we urgently need the active involvement of different actors in order to work together and make real and lasting change for individuals and for society. Foreign born women have an abundance of competencies, experiences and networks from their home countries that should be highlighted and materialized. Female entrepreneurs are in a unique position; they are role models for children and young people, they employ other women and their entrepreneurship creates a ripple effect in society that reaches far beyond their own business venture. When a woman has the power over her own life, the ability to support herself financially, and access to the right networks not only does her family´s situation change but the entire local community reaps the benefits. New jobs need to be created to break the increase of exclusion and marginalization in society. We are in dire need of small businesses that can provide women with these types of opportunities. If women-led companies are given the opportunity to scale up, women´s life-stories are spread. With Ester's tailor-made support, these entrepreneurs are given the tools they need to succeed."