As a child, Gladness dreamed of being a hairdresser. When she wasn’t in school, she often hung around the salons in her neighborhood, observing the shop owners. Sometimes, they’d even let her help with small, easy chores, which always seemed big and important to Gladness. 

Gladness’s mother worked in the fields with other women in the community—one of the few jobs available to an uneducated Maasai woman in rural Tanzania. Gladness’s father had long struggled with alcoholism and wasn’t around. 

Life turned upside down when Gladness’s mother passed away unexpectedly. Gladness hadn’t even known she was sick, and then, all at once, she was gone. Gladness, who was a teenager at the time, dropped out of school to care for her three younger siblings. The family didn’t have relatives nearby. 

Gladness assumed the only job available was farming, so she took all she was offered. She couldn’t earn enough to pay for food and keep her siblings in school, so they dropped out, too.

The family’s house, which had been in a fragile state before their mother’s death, slowly became decrepit. No floor, no windows, no roof. Gladness and her siblings patched up holes with cardboard, plastic tarps, and sheets of paper. 

Gladness had a friend in town, who had joined Zoe Empowers a year prior. As Gladness battled to survive the challenges of extreme poverty, she saw Salome, who was also caring for her siblings, grow a successful salon business. Salome gave Gladness hope and inspired her to do the same.

So, in October of 2021, when Zoe launched more empowerment groups in the community, Gladness went to the recruitment meeting. She was accepted and got her first start-up kit three months later. Gladness partnered with another group member to open a salon. The two young women split rent in a high-traffic area to build up their clientele. Before long, they could each afford to move to their own space.

With her income, Gladness re-enrolled herself and her siblings in school and restored her home to a safe, habitable condition with a new roof, door and windows. She also purchased goats and chickens to rear and sell at the market. 

Gladness is especially proud to own livestock in addition to running her salon because after she dropped out of school and before joining Zoe, she believed farming was her only future. Now, it’s merely a source of supplemental income. 

Furthermore, as a member of the Masaai tribe, she always believed she’d have to be married as a young girl and have children. Since becoming an empowered businesswoman, Gladness now understands that she can choose her own husband.

Like Salome, Gladness has become a mentor to other girls in other local Zoe groups. When her trainees ask for advice, Gladness encourages them to believe in themselves. 

“I tell them their potential is limitless,” Gladness said. “Girls especially don’t have to get married at a young age,” she added. “I tell them to stand in their position. They can do anything and succeed in it.”

Gladness’s message is important and illustrates a distinct aspect of the empowerment program: the robust Zoe network. 

Current Zoe participants always have access to upper-level participants and program graduates. Newcomers get to see their struggles and challenges reflected back to them from other youth who have already overcome them, instilling hope and faith early on in their empowerment journey. 

So far, Gladness has trained five young women to become hairdressers. Looking ahead, she would like to continue mentoring while expanding her salon business to include cosmetics. She will graduate from the program at the end of 2024.

Timothy’s grandmother gave him two gifts before she passed away. The first was a small gourd, meant to symbolize giving. The gourd only darkened if he gave to others. “The darker the gourd, the richer his life will be,” she told him. At the time, Timothy didn’t believe he had anything to give. He was an orphan, living in poverty, struggling to keep himself and his family alive. 

But, in January 2020, Timothy, then 15, joined the  Amani Kanthali empowerment group. Shortly after that, he opened a business selling bananas. When the pandemic hit, the little savings he had accrued vanished quickly, forcing him into manual labor. He feared Zoe would shutter and that he would be forgotten, left behind by another organization that failed to keep its promises. But Zoe Empowers was different. 

Timothy and his younger siblings, Emaculate and Raphael, received regular contact from Zoe throughout the pandemic. The family earned soap, a hand washing bucket, and sanitizer upon completing their health and hygiene training. Timothy recalls this gesture filling them with hope. In July 2020, Timothy reopened his business, this time selling hard-boiled eggs. He met with his group mates, participated in table banking and merry-go-round fund, and added more fresh vegetables to his store’s inventory. 

However, when a second lockdown occurred in 2021, Timothy’s momentum halted again. Government restrictions limited hours of operation, making it a challenge for Timothy to sell his vegetables. Around this time, Timothy received a Covid grant from Zoe to stay afloat. “This made me feel like God was giving me a second chance,” he recalled. “It made all the difference.”

Timothy’s business weathered the storm, but the turbulence didn’t leave much to invest at home. And so, Timothy leaned into his grandmother’s second gift, a large tree on her property. In late 2021, he cut it down and harvested the wood to build another room next to his grandmother’s home, where he and his siblings had lived since he was 12. This addition was a tremendous accomplishment for Timothy. “I feel surrounded by my grandmother inside my new home,” he said.

Timothy also submitted paperwork to regain ownership of his former home. After his father’s death and his mother fled, Timothy approached an uncle for help, but instead of offering support, the uncle stole their property. Through Zoe Empower’s child rights training, Timothy learned that his uncle broke the law. Zoe connected Timothy to local officials to report the case and is hopeful he’ll regain control of the property soon. 

Before his death, Timothy’s father strained the family’s reputation, often caught stealing and abusing others. Timothy noticed the community treats him with more respect now that he owns a store. He made friends in his empowerment group and at church. His siblings are excelling at school. Emaculate dreams of becoming a doctor, while Raphael wants to join the military.

Although his path to empowerment was riddled with challenges, Timothy, now 18, persevered, not only because Zoe Empowers gave him encouragement and strength but in memory of his grandmother. He keeps the gourd in his store, hanging from a piece of twine in the corner. Its once pale yellow flesh has turned brown like the soil, making it easy to overlook, displayed next to bright packages of coffee and tea. But whenever it catches his eye, Timothy is struck by her memory and the meaning behind her two gifts. She was right all along. His life has become richer.

Impact one young person like Timothy for only $9/month.

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When Ann married a man she barely knew at age 14, she believed the union was the only quick fix to escape her household, where an abusive step-father made life unbearable. 

Ann’s situation is not uncommon in Kenya, a country ranking 18th highest in the world for the absolute number of women married or in a union before the age of 18. Statistics show that girls living in poverty like Ann are twice as likely to marry under 18. 

Ann didn’t think things could get worse until she became pregnant. After giving birth to her daughter, Ivydinah, at age 16, her husband renounced his responsibilities as a spouse and father. He drank constantly and engaged in extramarital affairs. He’d leave for days at a time, only to spontaneously return to their home, angry and drunk, to mistreat Ann. 

This was when Ann began thinking about taking her own life. “I was so hopeless, and I became withdrawn. I did not know who to reach out to for help, but I kept on wishing that I would disappear from this world,” said Ann.

It was Ann’s family—her desire to raise Ivydinah and find a way to help her mother and younger sister, Mercy, safely leave the throes of the abusive step-father—that kept her going through this dark period. She found the strength to leave her marriage and took refuge at a relative’s home. 

Shortly after, she joined Zoe Empowers Kenya and the Joyous Kirua empowerment group in January 2019. By April 2019, Ann started her own farming business, beginning with a single plot of land and a few vegetable seeds (cabbage, carrots, potatoes). Zoe provided her with a hoe and machete to assist with land preparation. 

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After a couple of harvests, Ann saved enough money to rent a second plot of land, doubling her planting capacity. She also invested in sheep and chickens. Ann sold chicken eggs for extra income but kept a fair share for her family to eat. The integration of vegetables and eggs, both unaffordable before Zoe, dramatically improved Ann’s health and her family’s health.

Of the various trainings taught by Zoe staff, Ann was particularly struck by the classes on reproductive health and sexuality. Never before had Ann learned the dangers of child marriage, early pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, or how to care for herself properly. 

Ann began actively sharing her newly acquired knowledge about child rights by training other young girls in her community how to stand up against early marriage. “I emphasize the importance of staying single, protecting yourself, and making a future for yourself, first, instead of getting married,” Ann said.

Learning her rights and how to enforce them also led Ann to stop further abuse from her step-father. By informing the area chief of the situation, Ann perpetuated a successful intervention at her former household. Ann’s mother separated from the step-father, allowing Ann to move back home to rejoin her sister, Mercy. Ann also adopted her younger cousin, Mary, into the family. 

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Ann’s experience resonates with many young people in her community. Her relatability—having lost her father to illness when she was a child to living in extreme poverty then overcoming countless other challenges—has prompted several orphans and vulnerable children to seek her support and guidance. 

Being an advocate and mentor has brought significant meaning to Ann’s life. “Zoe Empowers has given me an opportunity to inform, educate and raise awareness on the need to combat early marriages, child abuse, and gender inequality in my community,” said Ann. “I will challenge gender stereotypes and bias.”

As a country, Kenya has committed to eliminating child, early, and forced marriage by 2030 in line with target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. While many organizations work to make this a reality, Zoe Empowers contributes through orphan empowerment. 

We need more vulnerable young women to know their rights and how to vocalize them. We need more advocates like Ann actively calling out gender bias and inequality in their community. We need more people who #ChooseToChallenge. 

This International Women’s Day, you can simultaneously #ChooseToChallenge AND help the world’s most vulnerable children by becoming a Zoe Empowers partner. Starting at just $9 a month, you can set in motion a life-changing transformation.

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Lidiah was born with a love for education. As a young girl, sitting inside a small, one-roomed classroom, learning new subjects and socializing with her peers was her favorite pastime, and it showed in the high marks she received from her teachers. She didn’t know it then, but she was one of the lucky ones, one of the girls whose parents could afford the nominal school fee and wanted her to attend. 

In the rural Kenyan village Lidiah’s family resided in and throughout low-income countries around the world, girls are regularly restricted from receiving an education for multiple reasons. In a recent study conducted by UNICEF, results showed that nearly one in three adolescent girls from the poorest households have never been to school, and an estimated 25 percent won’t finish primary school. 

Some girls are banned from receiving an education because it is viewed as a waste of resources since she will eventually marry and take her knowledge to another family. Other girls simply don’t have the option to attend because of the cost or the burden of care falls on them, especially if one or both parents have passed away.

This became Lidah’s reality when she unexpectedly lost both her parents before the age of 14. The situation forced her to drop out of school while she grieved and sought help. An aunt and uncle agreed to take her in. She was relieved until she learned her uncle’s ulterior motive: He wanted to use Lidiah for his personal gain. 

When Lidiah asked to return to school, he forbade it, stating her priority should be starting a family, like her aunt and other girls in the community. He took the plot of land left to Lidiah by her parents, then began making arrangements to marry her off to his friend’s son in exchange for a few cows. An introductory meeting between Lidiah and her predetermined suitor was arranged. 

“I wept the night he told me about the marriage,” she said. “I vowed that one day I would use my story to change the community norm.” In her sorrow, Lidiah quickly devised a plan to flee to a friend’s house. It was her friend who introduced Lidiah to Zoe Empowers Kenya. 

Lidiah was accepted into the empowerment program in January 2018. Within a few weeks, she started a small business selling tea and food on a roadside near a construction site. Three months later, she had saved enough money to return to school. Her teacher gladly allowed her to re-enroll since she had been one of the best students prior to the death of her parents. 

Lidiah’s determination and persistence to receive an education has not let up. She has managed to continue her studies while running her restaurant and participating in her Zoe empowerment group. Every morning, she wakes up very early to prepare batches of tea and chapati (flat bread) and carries it with her to school to sell to fellow students and teachers. After school, she sells the remainder of her goods in a roadside stand. 

Her profits have allowed Lidiah to pay school fees and make improvements in other areas of her life, including enrolling in health insurance and initiating the repossession of the stolen land. Lidiah didn’t know it was possible to get her land back until she received child rights training through Zoe Empowers. The area chief and council of elders are helping with the succession. 

99% of Zoe Empowers school-aged graduates in Kenya are enrolled in school*

After 18 months in the Zoe Empowers program, 100% of Kenyan group members report that they know their rights and can enforce them. 99% said they know how and where to seek help if they experience abuse.**

Although she doesn’t resent her uncle, Lidiah uses his actions and beliefs as fuel for her achievements. “He is the reason I am working so hard,” she admitted. “I want to buy him some cows and goats to show him that he did not have to sell me off for livestock, but he was supposed to give me an education to reap more.”

Throughout her empowerment journey, Lidiah has continued to live with her friend, whom she calls her “support system”. She is grateful to have been welcomed into a safe, loving home that values education. Now that Lidiah is close to finishing secondary school (high school) and graduating from Zoe Empowers, she has her sights set on enrolling in nursing school in 2021. 

Lidiah wants to be a role model for other girls who are facing similar challenges as she once did. She actively shares her story, encouraging them to get their education and helping in any way she can. “Though the journey is tough and tedious, I believe I will finish it,” she said. “One day I will change the story of the girl child in my community.”

380 million children living in extreme poverty are vulnerable like Lidiah was before Zoe Empowers.

$9 a month can change that.

A monthly gift of $9 over 3 years empowers one orphaned or vulnerable child out of poverty. How many children like Lidiah can you give lasting sustainable change?

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*Education: 

Longitudinal data: Surveys were given to 240 families in Kenya as they entered the program in January or July 2018, then again at their midpoint:

• incoming data: Of those families, 49% of the school-aged children in those families attended school either full or part time.
• midpoint data, 1 1/2 years later: 73% of the school aged children were in school.

Extra info: (from our most recent graduating class with survey data (started in January 2017 and graduated in Dec 2019) (91 families surveyed))  At graduation: 99% of the school-aged children in the group were in school.

**Child rights:

• incoming:  1% said that they know their rights and can enforce them.  1% said they know how and where to seek help if they experience abuse.
• midpoint, 1 1/2 years later:  100% said that they know their rights and can enforce them. 99% said they know how and where to seek help if they experience abuse.

Extra info:   At the midpoint, 99% of the females surveyed and 100% of the males said that boys and girls are treated equally in their empowerment group.

When you sat down at your computer this morning, you didn’t think twice about typing in the Web address you wished to visit: email, news, social media, Zoe Empower’s blog. You simply typed it in, and within a few seconds, you were there reading, scrolling, clicking your way around. 

But, you would have noticed if every vowel on your keyboard was frozen in place. How frustrating to click ‘a’s’ and ‘e’s’ and ‘o’s’ and ‘i’s’ and ‘u’s’ and have nothing appear on your screen but a blinking cursor. In a single moment, your entire keyboard became obsolete because its core function depends on the effective operation of every key. 

If we compared extreme poverty to a computer keyboard, the eight areas of life addressed by the Zoe Empowers program can each be equated to a single key. If one key stops working, the orphaned or vulnerable child is unable to get to where he or she is trying to go—out of poverty forever. 

Individually, each letter (or area of poverty) holds significance, but the real value unfolds when keys are strung together to create meaningful words and sentences. One way Zoe Empowers has demonstrated this multi-faceted impact is through gender equality.

Gender equality falls under the Child Rights area of training that every empowerment group receives. Often times, women and girls are isolated from men in many empowerment programs around the world. Overwhelmingly, efforts are focused on helping women and girls gain equal access to health, economic, educational and other opportunities, without actively engaging men and boys as allies, or helping both genders understand the way they can benefit from gender equality. 

Zoe Empowers has opted to take a gender transformative approach, where young girls and women are not only provided equal access to every resource and training received by the young boys and men in their peer group, but both genders are educated on the benefits of forming and promoting equitable relationships. 

A gender transformative approach leads to higher levels of collaboration, connectedness, and social and economic well-being within the empowerment group. And, as Zoe Empowers group members embed themselves into their community through businesses and leadership roles, their expanded view on gender equality inevitably spills into the broader population. 

So, if Child Rights is one letter on a keyboard, gender equality becomes the ‘shift’ key. To capitalize and help young women stand tall and become empowered for the long haul, they need unwavering supportive equality from their male peers.

This International Women’s Day, we are proud to celebrate the tens of thousands of girls and women who have broken the cycle of extreme poverty with Zoe Empowers. But, acknowledging the tens of thousands of young men who are working to create new norms and ideas about gender and masculinity in their community is equally as important. Together, we are all contributing to the UN’s  Sustainable Development Goal of achieving gender quality and empowering all women and girls. 

A monthly gift of $9 over 3 years empowers one orphaned child across eight areas of life including #genderequality. Lasting sustainable change starts with equal rights.

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“Through Zoe Empowers, I learned that children have the right for food, wear clothes, attend school, express ourselves, right to worship, and to do good things,” said Dorcas. “This motivated me to stand-up for myself and for others like me. I want to be a voice to help bring out the voice in others who have been silenced.”  –Dorcas

Standing at a mere five feet tall on a good day, Dorcas, with her sleek, low ponytail and petite frame dressed in a kaleidoscope of Kenyan prints and patterns could easily be mistaken for a girl about to enter junior high. Until she speaks, that is.

Dorcas, whose eighteen years of life experience has included unthinkable physical abuse from a family member, parental abandonment and subsequently, the responsibility to care for her two younger brothers, isn’t shy about sharing her journey out of poverty through the Zoe Empowers program.

When she talks about the nightmares of her past and the happiness of her life today, it’s not boastful; it’s reflective of the confidence and poise unearthed from the years of feeling alone and exploited. She has discovered her voice, and after a single conversation with her, it’s evident she’s never letting it be silenced again.

Before Dorcas began the Zoe Empowers program in July 2016, she described her life as “hopeless”. After her father passed away, her older half-brother began to misuse his position in the family by taking advantage of then 14-year-old Dorcas, to the point of her needing to withdraw from school due to physical and psychological injury.

After her half-brother colluded with her uncle to force her mother out of their community, Dorcas was left as the primary caretaker of her two younger siblings. The young family struggled to eat just one meal of potatoes or bananas a day and were tortured with the feelings of isolation, fear and shame regarding their inability to serve their community.

She and her siblings worked hard, long hours in the crop fields as cash laborers. Community members also physically and verbally treated them poorly and underpaid them for their efforts. One neighbor told Dorcas she didn’t want her to socialize with her children because Dorcas would teach them bad habits.

Things worsened when Dorcas’ uncle stole the land in which her family’s house was situated. Not knowing who to turn to for support, or that she had the right to speak up to authorities about such an issue, she found refuge elsewhere while her uncle proceeded to demolish the home to use the plot as he pleased.

Dorcas truly believed she was alone and other children in her community weren’t suffering the way her family was. To her surprise, when she joined the Zoe Empowers program and learned of the dozens of other orphaned children in her community that could relate to her circumstances, she immediately felt comforted.

“When the group accepted me as I was, I found a sense of living. I became hopeful. I could see that my challenges wouldn’t last forever,” explained Dorcas.

As part of the Zoe Empowers model to empowerment, Dorcas was trained on how to start a business in community. For orphaned children who’ve been boxed into a economic status group and plagued with unfavorable judgements about their character by community members, the realization that they, too, have talents to contribute to their society is incredibly motivating.

Dorcas chose to open her own grain shop where she sold seeds, such as corn and rice, to local farmers. Because the culture in small African communities is to support every business within it, as owning a business symbolizes he or she cares about the longevity of the community, Dorcas’ grain shop experienced growth quickly.

Now, in her third year of business and the Zoe Empowers program, she consistently earns upwards of $7 per day and is making plans to relocate her shop to a bigger market in the near future. Her income has allowed her to transform her life in a multitude of ways, including re-enrolling siblings in school, purchasing new clothing and regular, nutritious meals for her family.

More impressive are the changes that manifested since Dorcas learned her child rights through ZOE. “I learned that children have the right for food, wear clothes, attend school, express ourselves, right to worship, and to do good things,” said Dorcas. “When I learned all of this, I was motivated to tell our group mentor about my family issues (abuse and stolen property) and bring it to the village Chief at his office.”

Given the Chief’s strong support of the Zoe Empowers program, he invited Dorcas’ uncle to come meet him and Dorcas to discuss the issue in a common place. “I was nervous but my group members came to support me,” recalled Dorcas, smiling. “We talked about the issues and the Chief instructed her uncle to build another house for Dorcas’ family and to find her mother.

Without question, her uncle took all the commands from the Chief. He proceeded to build Dorcas a better house than what they’d had before, paid for her youngest brother’s school fees and returned everything he’d taken away years before, including her mother.

Dorcas isn’t one to dwell on the past, now that she can see her bright future so clearly. “I forgave my uncle because we were taught forgiveness in Zoe Empowers, and he accepted everything I asked of him. I know he’ll never abuse me again because they [uncle and half-brother] know I will enforce my rights,” stated Dorcas confidently. “My uncle now calls me a daughter, and we all live at peace.”

Adding more credibility to Dorcas’ unbelievable ability to forgive is the fact that she allows her half-brother to live on her compound. Divided by a single 2×4 and pile of boulder stones, as illustrated in the picture, their homes are within eyesight and earshot. Dorcas stands strong on her property knowing her act of forgiveness will never mean she has to allow others to take advantage of her.

In the community, Dorcas has become well-known for speaking out about child rights, serving as paralegal outside of her grain shop business. She can be found standing in forums teaching others, especially young females, about their rights.

“I know community boys know about me. They think I’m a feisty girl who knows her rights. I know men who have not learned to respect other girls but they respect me because I know my rights,” Dorcas explained matter of factly. “I am confident with my life, and I want to be an example of a woman who is standing for what is right. I want to be a voice to help bring out the voice in others who have been silenced.”

380 million children living in extreme poverty will rely on charity forever.
A monthly gift of $39 over 3 years empowers 5 orphans out of poverty to never need charity again. How many children can you give lasting sustainable change?

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“I am happy to give part of what God has blessed me with through ZOE. I am now empowered to help others in my community and beyond. I have learned that it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

As you may have heard, young entrepreneurs in the Zoe Empowers program in Kenya are determined to pay it forward and empower other orphans and vulnerable children through ZOE. These young people were living in desperate conditions themselves not too long ago, and now they have become financial partners!

Earlier this month, 510 program participants gathered together for a ‘Thanksgiving’ celebration which culminated in a $7,100 offering to help start more Zoe Empowers groups of children. This event was initiated and planned by Zoe Empowers children and the donated money came from the profits of businesses they had started. This event was initiated and planned by Zoe Empowers children with the intention of giving back to help other children. If you missed the entire story, read it here.

I would like to introduce you to one of ZOE’s newest financial partners, Margaret. Margaret is a 21-year-old member of a third-year group in the Kenya program who donated to Zoe Empowers during the Thanksgiving celebration. I met Margaret in 2016, and she quickly impressed me with her joyful personality. She owned a hair salon at the time, and since then has opened a clothing boutique. Both businesses have grown since my visit.

What impressed me most about Margaret was her inner strength as a young woman. Her face lit up the room as she spoke with immense confidence. She shared that her parents died when she was only nine years old and she suddenly became the mother to her two younger siblings. She said, “I was always praying for someone to come and hold my hand.” I couldn’t help but think of my nine-year-old daughter. I tried to envision her living alone on the streets and being responsible for caring for two other human beings. It was too painful of a picture to hold onto for more than a few seconds in my mind.

Margaret proudly noted that Zoe Empowers was instrumental to transforming her health and giving her confidence. Through ZOE’s program, she learned about her rights as a young woman and how to enforce them – this seemed to be especially important to her. I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to protect herself and her siblings while living on the street. Today, Margaret feels strong and she is respected in her community. She holds her head high and is so proud of her accomplishments.

During my conversation with her, she joked about how the boys in her community respect her so much that they sometimes refuse to approach her because they feel intimidated by her confidence. I asked her a question that I often ask my adult daughters, “What qualities will you look for in a husband?” It became obvious to me that the Zoe Empowers program had helped to change Margaret’s answer to this question. She replied by saying that she dreams of marrying a man who is business minded and willing to work hard for what he earns. She said that he must also be understanding and respectful.

It always causes me to pause when I hear the Zoe Empowers children talk about their dreams before they become part of the program. Margaret dreamed for someone to come alongside her and hold her hand through life. Simply her dream was to feel cared for and loved.

The seed of Margaret’s dream was planted in a prayer. A faithful Zoe Empowers partner then watered it. It grew through her hard work and faithfulness. Margaret’s dreams have grown into many healthy relationships and multiple businesses. She now feels so empowered that she can’t possibly keep it to herself. Margaret’s financial contribution is an act of worship, helping other children find the path to their dreams.

380 million children living in extreme poverty will rely on charity forever.

$9 a month can change that.

A monthly gift of $9 over 3 years empowers one orphan out of poverty. How many children can you give lasting sustainable change?

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Margaret in 2016 when she first started her business

Everyone and everything she had loved and depended on had disappeared from her life. First her parents, then the grandmother who cared for her. Relatives rejected her and took her land.

Just barely a teen, Pacifique thought she could find refuge living with her neighbors, but instead, her situation became worse. The husband abused her repeatedly. When she became pregnant, she was kicked out of the house. With no place to stay and unable to work, she survived by begging. When her baby was born, they slept on people’s porches at night and struggled to find food during the day.  She felt totally alone, abandoned even by God.

Malnourished and eating only four meals per week, Pacifique and her daughter Gisele came to the first Zoe Empowers meeting in her Rwanda village hoping for food. They were disappointed until they discovered that Zoe Empowers was offering much, much more.

During the first weeks, the youth of her working group shared their stories of despair, their struggles, and finally their dreams. They became a new family for Pacifique where she found understanding and compassion. The Zoe Empowers program facilitators trained Pacifique and her groupmates on topics that were relevant to all aspects of their lives from growing food to starting a business to staying healthy. After ZOE’s training on identifying and defending personal rights, Pacifique’s working group helped her press charges against her former abuser. He was tried, found guilty, and is now serving twenty years in prison.

With knowledge, resources, and the support of Zoe Empowers and her working group, Pacifique left her previous existence behind and began building a new life. She planted a small garden, started a business selling bananas, found a home to rent, and sent Gisele to school.

Her dream is to own a house, and Zoe Empowers is helping make that dream come true. Working with the local government which provides land and some building materials, Zoe Empowers and her working group will construct a home for Pacifique and Gisele where they will be safe and comfortable.

Through ZOE’s empowerment model, Pacifique not only developed the skills and ability to take care of herself and her daughter, she also reclaimed her dignity. No longer a victim, she attends church with joy and looks for opportunities to empower others in her community.

“I now have friends and a support system of people who love me and interact with me, so I feel fine. My group, God’s Choice, feels like a family.”

In 2009, before she joined the Zoe Empowers program, Bendu’s father died leaving her with her mother and two younger siblings.

In 2014, tragedy struck again when the Ebola virus took Bendu’s mother. Following the death of both of her parents, she had to take on the role of a mother — caring for her younger siblings.

Looking back on the death of her mother, Bendu reflected, “I felt so bad. I felt discouraged because there was nobody to advise me. My whole life became spoiled, and I had no hope for any future.”

When she joined Zoe Empowers, Bendu’s peers elected her as president of her group., and in June of 2017 she graduated from a training program that is empowering her to start a business as a hairdresser. A Zoe Empowers micro-grant is providing a start-up kit for this new business which will build on the dry goods and pastry business Bendu already runs in her community.

She said, “I now have friends and a support system of people who love me and interact with me, so I feel fine. My group, ‘God’s Choice,’ feels like a family.”

Bendu now has a beautiful home. Her siblings are re-enrolled in school, and she has learned her rights and how to enforce them.

“I now know that if a man tries to violate me, I can go to child protection, my mentor, my group or the Zoe Empowers staff. I feel the courage to report it now because of my group support. Before Zoe Empowers, I had no idea I could report violence against me. I used to think it was forbidden to carry the complaint of a bigger man to authorities. If any man tries to violate a girl in our group or community, we will take that man to human rights. Amen! The boys in my Zoe Empowers group would also join us in taking it up with authorities.”

For as little as $9 a month, you can help to empower a teenage girl like Bendu — impacting her life and the lives of her siblings.

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