Mission
Expanding Lives is a nonprofit that provides education and leadership experiences to young women in West Africa and young people in the United States.
How we do it:
Leadership conferences in West Africa for girls and young women enrolled in school.
Continued educational and project support in their communities through an active alumnae program.
Guided opportunities for American students to enhance their global understanding of women’s education issues and connect them with leadership opportunities.
HISTORY
Expanding Lives is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, founded in 2007 and based in Chicago, with partner networks extending to Niger and Benin. Founded on the idea that investing in one person can have ripple effects that lead to positive change that expands the lives of others and the world at large. We instill this belief in young women as we practice it ourselves.
Expanding Lives was founded by Leslie Natzke and a team of dedicated educators. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger and public school teacher in the U.S., Leslie saw firsthand the transformative potential of education, particularly for young women. Now in its second decade of operation, Expanding Lives continues to provide girls with the tools they need to become educated leaders in their communities.
Podcast
In 2019, Becker Group interviewed our founder, Leslie Natzke, and two US high school students, Anna Urosev and Irena Petryk, who had been working with Expanding Lives for three years. Listen to the 17-minute recording.