The day Salome’s father disappeared is one she’ll never forget. 

She and her two younger siblings had gone to school. Their mother was tending to the small home the family of five shared, while their father provided for the household. This pattern of life resembled many other families living in rural Tanzania. 

When Salome’s father didn’t return home, the family worried but tried to remain hopeful. However, after days turned to weeks without correspondence, Salome knew her greatest fear had come true: her father had abandoned them. 

As an uneducated woman, Salome’s mother had limited income potential and was only able to find work weeding her neighbor’s gardens. Salome dropped out of school to help support her family as they struggled to find enough food, often going without. Eventually, Salome’s siblings dropped out, too. 

When Salome heard Zoe Empowers was starting new empowerment groups in her community, she went to the meeting and explained her situation to the facilitator. Zoe accepted Salome and her family to the program, and within three months, she received a start-up kit to open a hair salon.  

Salome was interested in hairdressing even before her father disappeared, but it wasn’t until she joined Zoe that she believed she could pursue her dream. Her passion for the trade and desperation to feed her family motivated her to run a successful business. 

For the first year, Salome shared a salon with another Zoe group member, which allowed both girls to split expenses and resources while saving money to take care of their families and make improvements at home. One of the first projects Salome completed was building a new latrine. She also added a floor, windows, roof and door to improve her home. 

After Zoe’s staff taught Salome and her group mates the importance of clean water, Salome began educating her neighbors and started a second business selling bottled water and soft drinks. She also sold hotcakes and cassava to earn extra income.

In November 2022, one year into the program, Salome heard that the Tanzania government was encouraging people to move to a new area roughly a one hour drive from her community. The planned development would include new businesses and housing. It sounded promising but risky.

Salome decided to take a leap of faith and relocate her salon business to the new development. She wanted to be the first hairdresser in the market before other salons moved in. 

The risk paid off. Salome’s business grew exponentially—so much so that other young women in the area took notice, and Salome began receiving requests to train other young women to be hairdressers. 

One trainee, Gladness, started the Zoe program one year after Salome and said that Salome inspired her. 

“Salome gave me hope,” Gladness said. “She helped me believe in myself and pushed me to do more.” Gladness said there were times when she felt like giving up, but Salome was there to remind her that the Zoe program works and encouraged her to keep attending the meetings. 

Salome’s impact on Gladness was profound but not uncommon among Zoe groups. Many successful Zoe participants often mentor younger group members. Training cannot only become a source of income for experienced participants and soon-to-be grads like Salome but also creates a robust network within the program. 

To date, Salome has trained thirteen women. “I’ve realized that I love giving back,” Salome said. “Now that I have much, I want to share it with others to experience the same success I have achieved.”

Most recently, Salome has been working on building a new home beside her original house, which she has since renovated with a new door, roof, cement floor, and windows. As a 2023 Zoe Empowers graduate, she continues to meet with her group and participate in their group project. All profits earned by the group are loaned out to its members to expand their businesses. 

“I push my group to the max,” Salome said. “We hold each other accountable by following up with each other, and this encourages us to keep going for our next dream.

“Losing my biological father at a young age and being abandoned by my stepfather made me feel that everything was lost,” said Beatrice. “Little did I know that Zoe Empowers would come and change the direction of my life.” – Beatrice

Give Now

Beatrice’s earliest memories are in the hot, dusty fields with her mother, Verina. After Vernia’s husband died in a motorcycle accident shortly after she gave birth to Beatrice, she had no option but to bring her newborn daughter along when she ventured to find work in their rural Malawi village. 

Strapped to Verina’s back, Beatrice quietly observed Verina’s grit as she picked crops and pulled weeds and watered rows for as long as it took to get the job done. The pay was never enough, but it kept them alive. The mother and daughter maintained this routine until Beatrice reached school age, when she exchanged the fields for the classroom. 

Then Verina met and married a new man. Finally, they had someone to help them, Beatrice thought. She believed their hardest days were behind them. Her mother had two additional children with her second husband. But, as a family of five, their needs only increased, and it soon became clear Beatrice’s stepfather wasn’t interested in the role of provider. He abandoned the family to marry another woman in a neighboring village. 

Beatrice was heartbroken by the betrayal as was Verina. They resumed the grueling hours in the fields to earn enough for the family. For the better part of a decade, they subsisted on one meal a day. Their home fell into disrepair, and there wasn’t enough money for any of the siblings to attend school. They wore ill-fitting, worn clothing and were often sick from malnourishment and malaria and parasites borne in contaminated water. 

This was how the family was living when Zoe Empowers entered their community in the spring of 2020. 

Once accepted into the empowerment program, Beatrice wasted no time getting her first business off the ground. Given her childhood, farming was a natural business choice for Beatrice. Zoe offered her a grant to purchase two pigs, which she quickly reared into seven. She sold two pigs, and used the profits to launch another commercial vegetable farming business, growing leafy vegetables, tomatoes, soybeans and maize. 

Give Now

From day one, Beatrice said her goal was to ensure her family had enough food at all times, and after her first year with Zoe Empowers, she has already achieved it. The family now eats three meals a day, and Beatrice sells the surplus vegetables at the local market. Her siblings have enrolled in school, and their home has been repaired, although Beatrice’s new dream is to build a new, larger home for her family.

Give Now

More recently, Beatrice has begun to explore other avenues of entrepreneurship. Some days she makes and sells doughnuts from a small kiosk. She also hired three men in her community to mold bricks, which she knows she will be able to sell for a sizable profit due to the current demand for building materials. 

Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, Beatrice currently has FOUR businesses in action, and she has no plans of stopping any time soon. Her spunk and ambition are truly contagious, and she is admired and respected in her empowerment group. In her community and at church, Beatrice often volunteers her time and talents, citing the need to reciprocate the support she received when she was struggling. 

“Losing my biological father at a young age and being abandoned by my stepfather made me feel that everything was lost,” said Beatrice. “Little did I know that Zoe Empowers would come and change the direction of my life.” 

While Zoe Empowers gave Beatrice the opportunity, she is the one who has put forth the effort. And she is not alone. Thousands of orphans and vulnerable children like Beatrice have the same work ethic, dreams and talent. They are just waiting for their chance to reach their full potential. 

380 million children are trapped in the cycle of poverty.

You can change this! Empower one orphan for only $9 a month over three years.

How many children like Wayne and his siblings can you give lasting sustainable change?

Give Now

Josephat always felt like his ambition never aligned with his life circumstances. 

He loved to be in school, but his parents could not afford the fees. There were often gaps in his enrollment, dropping out to work for several weeks or months at a time. Then, inevitably, through sheer will and determination, he would scrape enough Kenyan shillings together to go back. 

When he graduated high school, he dreamed of going to college, but the expense was too great. His mother, who worked piece jobs in the field earning no more than a dollar a day, offered to throw Josephat a fundraising event. Not a single person showed up. 

“People are viewed by their contribution to the community,” Josephat explained. “So, because my family couldn’t contribute, we were viewed as worthless.” 

Discouraged by the lack of support, Josephat shelved the idea of going to college. Instead, he opted to leave his hometown to find a better job and life in another village. With hopeful smiles and farewell hugs, Josephat promised his father, who had been ill and bed-ridden for all of Josephat’s life, that he would secure a fine-paying job in the new city, and when he did, he would send money back to take care of both of his parents and his three younger siblings. 

Contrary to his expectations, life became worse for Josephat in the new city. He searched and searched and searched, but he couldn’t find a stable job. As a result, he wound up homeless, hungry, and drained of the little resources he had saved in the first place. 

Josephat returned home to his family, filled with shame and doubt. Eventually, he was allowed to sell supplies at a relative’s shop. The business was failing, but the work was steady and paid Josephat enough to eat about one meal a day.

In early 2016, Josephat joined the Zoe Empowers Kenya program. Six months later, after receiving many in-depth training sessions on entrepreneurship, he began to notice ways he could improve his relative’s supply shop. 

With a small loan from his empowerment group, Josephat invested in groceries and other essential household goods in demand but unavailable in the community. Josephat also developed a network with other shop owners, so when a customer asked for an item he did not sell, he bought it from another shop owner, then marked it up at his store.

Give Now

Josephat’s relative was observant of Josephat’s rapidly increasing business acumen, and before the end of the first year in Zoe Empowers, he turned over ownership of his store to Josephat. The gesture instilled confidence and for the first time in his life, Josephat felt in control of his destiny. 

Give Now

Outside of the group projects, Josephat dedicated his days to analyzing every aspect of the supply store. Nothing was overlooked, from the quality of products to how he displayed the items on the shelves. As the notoriety of his shop grew, so did his customer base and community relationships.

“God elevated me to a new level [by bringing Zoe Empowers into his life]. People wanted to be a part of my life as they saw me rising up to success,” he said. He explained that the community began to view him differently than before Zoe because of his new ability to sell something of value or quality.  

The store’s profits were not only enough for all of Josephat’s siblings to attend school, but he was also able to pursue his dream of enrolling in college. He studied mass media with the intention to work as a journalist one day. 

Josephat believes that countless young, bright minds like him are waiting for the same opportunity. “In Africa, we have young minds [who want] to succeed but lack the resources to make it happen. Zoe makes a bridge for sound minds to cross to success.” 

You can help more orphans and vulnerable children across the bridge from extreme poverty to lifelong self-sufficiency by becoming a Zoe Empowers Partner or other ways to give.

Give Now

A busy paved road runs through the village center of Chimwaza, Malawi. On either side is an assortment of tattered-looking shops, freestanding kiosks and persistent peddlers ready to serve the steady stream of loitering locals there to eat, shop and socialize. 

Two years ago, entering this scene would have invoked shame and anxiety for Mike (19). As a double orphan responsible for his three younger siblings, he actively avoided public places as much as possible because of the judgement and stigma he experienced. 

At that time, he and his siblings had dropped out of school because they couldn’t afford the uniforms and materials. “If you don’t have those things, people gossip,” said Mike. Unable to afford soap, he recalled his odor being another source of shame and ridicule, further amplifying his family’s segregation from the community. The family had little food and often went without meals. 

Prayer kept his hopes alive during the hardest times. He prayed to have a good life, to be happy and to be able to provide for his siblings. In October 2018, his prayers were answered when he joined Zoe Empowers Malawi. His group, Tithandizane “Harmony” Chimwaza, was funded by the children and graduates of the Zoe Empowers Kenya program. 

[button url=”https://zmpw.rs/blog” style=”primary” text=”Give the Gift that Multiplies”] 

Within the first six months, Mike started a business selling broiler chickens from a small kiosk. He proudly positioned it alongside the main road. At first, when community members and fellow business owners saw him there, they didn’t believe he, an orphan, could run such a business, but Mike stayed the course, showing up day after day to sell chickens. 

Before the end of his first year, Mike established another kiosk next door to his original location to cook chicken parts, selling them fresh and hot on skewers. He hired his cousin to help him operate the second stand while he manned the other. Combined, the businesses generated enough money for Mike to re-enroll all of his siblings in school. 

[button url=”https://zmpw.rs/blog” style=”primary” text=”Give School Supplies”] 

Despite the challenges related to COVID-19, Mike continued to make progress in his journey out of poverty in 2020. This year, he completed the construction of a new home, saving an impressive $2,000 to build it! Even with the investment of a new home, he has still been able to save money for everyday living expenses.

[button url=”https://zmpw.rs/blog” style=”primary” text=”Give Empowerment”] 

The success and substantial changes in his life have not only transformed Mike’s physical world, as it pertains to clean clothing, safe shelter and regular meals, but his self-confidence and mental well-being have also improved. Voted to be his group’s secretary, Mike has stepped into his ability to lead and connect with others. 

While working at his kiosk, he often wears his Zoe Empowers branded t-shirt, stating the logo “reminds him he once had nothing but now he has something.” With one more year left in the empowerment program, we look forward to seeing what else Mike will accomplish. 

It is clear orphaned and vulnerable children are especially in need of support post-pandemic.

By forming and funding additional empowerment groups, the effort can effectively be multiplied in Malawi and beyond.

[button url=”https://zmpw.rs/blog” style=”primary” text=”Ways to Make an Impact”]

Being a tailor is Nelson Jester’s livelihood. It’s what brings his sweet, reserved personality to life. It’s what inspired his first business, generated a steady income, and continued his success and independence after graduating from the Zoe Empowers Malawi program in 2017. 

Sewing is also the way he shows love and support to his community. Every two months, Nelson packs up his sewing machine and arranges transportation to a local hospital where he stays for two days to tailor anything and everything the medical staff and their patients need. He does this at no cost. 

“I usually go to rural hospitals because I know that life is hard in rural areas, so I just want to give what I can,” said Nelson. “They [hospital staff] are always happy to have me there.”

Nelson has mended hundreds of items at several hospitals throughout the area, but one man, in particular, he remembers with vivid detail. 

The man came into the hospital with a leg wound. He wanted to roll up his pants to allow the wound to dry and heal, but he only owned one pair of pants with a narrow opening at the bottom. Nelson loosened the seams, adding an extra panel of fabric around the ankle so the man could easily pull the pant leg up to his knee. These fixes are simple for Nelson but significant to the owner of the garment. 

Outside of volunteering his time at the hospital, Nelson looks for ways to use his talent to better the community he lives and works in. 

Last year, he observed an orphan in his community showing up to church in the same dress week after week. He knew she had lost her father and was likely struggling, so he kindly asked the girl if he could make her a new dress. She obliged and came to his studio to be measured. Within a day, he sewed her two new dresses. 

But the bright, beautiful textiles Nelson uses in his craft aren’t the only thing in full color these days. He, too, has changed from a shy orphaned teenager, desperate for help, to a spirited and confident young businessman who believes his success is a direct reflection of how much he gives back. 

Using the talent God gave him to better the lives of others is what will help him achieve his ultimate dream of owning a textile shop and building a big home. With this in mind, he continues to serve his community the way he knows how: sewing. 

“When I look at my sister’s baby, Moses, I’m overcome with joy. Zoe Empowers has helped me understand that it’s more of a blessing to care for Moses — and my sister — when I have God.” ‒ Emmanuel, 2017 Graduate in Rwanda

It’s human nature to want to run from our problems. When undesirable circumstances arise and our fight or flight instinct kicks in, often times the craving to run as fast as possible in the other direction seems significantly more appealing than facing the issue head on.

Orphans and vulnerable children living in poverty around the globe are not immune to this desire to escape.

In 2014, Emmanuel believed there was no other option for him than to just run away from his small village in Rwanda. To simply sneak out into the blackness of the night and never look back.

With seemingly no options for work in his community and no money for food, he and his special needs sister, Janine, starved regularly. Their situation seemed irreversible. His frustration and anger with his life grew stronger by the day. These feelings, he believed, could only be extinguished by starting over somewhere new.

When he learned of Zoe Empowers, he decided to join an empowerment group because he heard promising stories from program graduates. He found the success stories of children just like him inspiring, and more importantly, they helped him see that a better tomorrow was possible—without having to leave his community.

One of the first lessons that resonated with him was that of Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Never before had he considered that God had a plan for him. He thought God’s plans were only for those who were beautiful and rich. Not him. But through the guidance of his empowerment group, he began to clearly understand that if he ran away from his problems, he would ruin God’s plan—and he worried he might upset God.

About two years into the Zoe Empowers program, Janine was abused by an anonymous community member and became pregnant. Given her significant special needs, she was ill-equipped to handle her pregnancy alone.

Although Emmanuel felt infuriated by the position Janine was forced into, after many months of working within his empowerment group and gaining tremendous traction with his career and stature within the community, he knew this was his time to step up and provide assistance to her.

Emmanuel tended to Janine throughout her pregnancy. When the time came, he delivered the baby boy, whom he named Moses. Emmanuel and Janine’s family name is Isezerano, meaning “promise”. Emmanuel believed the Bible story of Moses being found and the newly discovered promise God made in his own life perfectly suited Janine’s son.

Despite cultural norms, Emmanuel took on the role of honorary father and brings Moses everywhere with him. Beyond his daily actions, Emmanuel’s love for Moses and his well being is evident in the way he looks at him; each giggle and smile brings a twinkle to his eye. He takes complete care of both Moses and his sister including nighttime feedings and routine infant medical visits to the local pediatrician.

Now, as a 2017 Zoe Empowers graduate, Emmanuel earns a living for his small family by farming four of his empowerment group’s 50 rice plots which profits $560 annually. He also steadily works as a respected carpenter within his community. Janine no longer faces abuse from community members because Emmanuel’s achievements have secured him respect and status amongst his peers and community elders and she is closely associated with him.

Although Emmanuel is not genetically the father of Moses, caring for him and his sister has brought significant meaning and joy to his life. He’s grateful he faced his fears and didn’t run from them because he knows that if he had left his community, he would never have received God’s promises.

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’s lives will you change?

Learn More

Want to learn more about Emmanuel’s empowerment group? You can read more about the other group members and their rice farm project here.

After Miriam’s father died, her mother married a man who did not want to be responsible for someone else’s children. Miriam and her younger siblings were sent to live with their grandmother who was already caring for other grandchildren. Sadly, their grandmother was not well and greatly struggled to provide for the family.

Miriam dropped out of school so that she could provide for the family. Or at least she tried. Being young and unskilled, what few jobs she could get involved hard labor and paid very little. Mainly, the family begged or relied on donations from church members to get by. Miriam felt it was her responsibility to take care of her grandmother and four younger relatives, but being the mom was overwhelming.

When Miriam joined her Zoe Empowers Zimbabwe Empowerment Group she discovered she no longer had to struggle alone. Through each area of empowerment, Zoe Empowers provided training and resources while Miriam’s groupmates ensured she had the assistance to accomplish her goals.

The group helped Miriam plant both a home garden and a crop of maize. Following business training, they provided advice and approved a grant so Miriam could open a “tuck shop” selling items like soap, sugar, rice, cooking oil, and snacks. A year later, they helped her begin a business of breeding chickens. With some of her earning she purchased plaster and cement to improve her home, but without the help of her empowerment group completing the task would have been impossible.

Miriam has returned to school and is also paying the costs for her younger relatives to continue their education. She is providing the family three nutritious meals a day and has also taught them how to protect their health. With such great support from Zoe Empowers and her groupmates, she is filling the role of mom quite well.

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

$9 a month can change that.

It only takes $9 a month for three years to bring a child from begging for food as a way to survive to never relying on charity again. How many children’s lives will you change?

[button url=”https://www.wearezoe.org/give-monthly/” style=”primary” text=”Learn More”]

“Our life has totally changed. We used to starve and we had dropped out from school. I never thought I might be a business person one day and own my livestock as I now have.”

“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?

[button url=”https://www.wearezoe.org/give-monthly/” style=”primary” text=”Learn More”]

Margaret in 2016 when she first started her business