EMPOWERVAN

Empowering displaced women and girls through self-defense education allowing them to live independently and free of violence. 

Envisioning a world free of gender-based violence.

Creating change, one women at a time.

Empowerment through presence • Self-defense is solidarity • Women supporting women • Trust before training • Showing up matters • Empowerment through presence •

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Empowerment through presence • Self-defense is solidarity • Women supporting women • Trust before training • Showing up matters • Empowerment through presence • •

It all begins with showing up.
Sometimes we teach a full self-defense class.
Sometimes we talk to one woman by the van.
Sometimes, no one comes.

But we still show up. Because presence matters.
EmpowerVan is a feminist, mobile project bringing free self-defense and empowerment to displaced women in refugee camps.
We create space for movement, for strength, for connection, even when everything else is uncertain.

Impact in Numbers

6.738

KM’s driven

We are driven to reach the most vulnerable people in isolated locations

17

Locations

We have taught in 10 locations over 3 countries.

235

Students empowered

Every student matters, we will teach even if only one person shows up, because we are determined to make a difference where we can!

218

Hours taught

Our weekly self-defense classes are between 60 - 90 minutes, and a full seminar consists of 8 hours of class.

Programmatic Activities

Physical Self-Defense Classes
Every week, we travel to refugee camps near Athens with our fully equipped van, in order to facilitate physical self-defense classes to the women and girls living inside the camps.


Empowerment Self Defense Seminar
We go shelters and organizations in order to teach holistic empowerment self defense seminars.

Training for Aid Workers
We help the helping hands in the field create safer spaces, by training them in de-escalation, bystander intervention and learning about boundaries and cultural differences.