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.

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During the book handover ceremony, Clever, a 2nd-year Zoe participant and group spokesperson, expressed pride and commitment to making a difference.

“Despite being orphaned, we don’t take ourselves as beneficiaries,” she said. “Through the necessary support from Zoe Empowers, we now have what it takes to be change-makers in our community. We believe that education is the key to a brighter future for an African child, and we are committed to ensuring that our younger brothers and sisters have the tools they need to succeed.”

Frackson, Zoe Empowers Malawi communications facilitator, explained that the initiative for the book-buying project was sparked during a recent regional meeting involving the 5 Zoe empowerment groups. Some group members are students at Chimungu Full Primary School and informed their colleagues about the school’s challenges. The head teacher at the school confirmed that it was common for ten students to share one book during classes.lear

Now, with support from Zoe youth, Chimungu school has additional resources to enhance the learning experience and academic performance of its 1,478 students. Lead administrators in the district applauded the Zoe groups for such a wonderful gift, noting the books will significantly improve the quality of education at their school.

Furthermore, the book donation highlights the spirit of the Zoe Empowers’ mission. Not only is the organization helping orphaned youth become self-sufficient, but it is also fostering a generation of compassionate and community-oriented young people.

This post was authored by:
Frackson Maocha, Zoe Empowers Malawi communications facilitator

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After Manley finished the advanced level of education to qualify for the university, his uncle kicked him out of the house for good. Manley returned to his rural home, where he learned his paternal relatives had assumed control of his parent’s land. They had even sold off part of the estate for profit. Manley was devastated, but as an orphan, he knew he could not make demands of his elders. He drifted on the streets, toiled in the fields, and begged for corn and cassava. Occasionally, he grew desperate enough to return to his uncle for food or ancillary needs. 

In 2014, Manley joined Zoe Empowers Zimbabwe. He received training on starting a business and a grant amounting to 150 USD. With the grant, Manley bought several broiler chickens, which he reared, then sold. As his income grew, he diversified his offering, tending to pigeons, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other larger farm animals. He bought and sold groceries and second-hand clothing. The more his businesses grew, the more self-reliant he became. Eventually, he did not need to return to his uncle. 

The Zoe Empowers staff equipped Manley with the resources to repossess the land his relatives had stolen. There, he settled into the most stable living arrangement he’d had since before the death of his parents. Because he’d achieved high marks in the advanced level of post-secondary education, despite his miserable home life, Zoe staff and his peers encouraged Manley to consider going to college. This possibility had never occurred to him, but he couldn’t unsee it once he envisioned himself in a college classroom. 

Manley enrolled at Midlands State University (MSU) in 2016. He chose Psychology as his major and was accepted into the Honors program. Because Manley relied on his businesses to afford tuition, he hired an orphaned young person in the community to manage his operations while he was at school. Before long, his entrepreneurial spirit prodded him to start another business at college. 

Manley consulted his Zoe Empowers group about the idea, and they loaned him money to start a new endeavor: printing and photocopying. He also bought and sold clothes. All the money he made went toward his school fees. During semester breaks, he returned home to participate in his empowerment group activities and check on his other businesses. 

In 2020, Manley completed his Bachelor of Science degree. He was recognized for his stellar academic achievement, winning the Best Undergraduate Student Award, Nyaradzo Life Assurance Award, MSU Book Prize Award, and First Mutual Health Award for best undergraduate student in the Department of Psychology. After graduation, he returned home to intern for Zoe. 

One year later, in 2021, Manley enrolled in a Master’s program at MSU, focusing on Community Psychology. Upon completion, he was, again, awarded the MSU Book Prize; and the Allied Health Practitioners Council Award for being the top student in his class. He aspires to earn a Ph.D. in psychology in the near future. 

When Manley reflected on his journey with Zoe Empowers, he described himself as “a village boy with a city dream.” A dream he never thought was possible until his Zoe group  helped him realize it. The dream chart taught him that a negative mindset is a barrier to success, but a growth mindset opens avenues for the less privileged. “A dream does not become a reality through magic,” Manley said. “It took sweat, determination, and hard work to fulfill my city dream. But I know that, with God, nothing is out of reach.” 

Zoe Empowers recently hired Manley as a program facilitator in Zimbabwe. As a Zoe team member, he shares his testimony with the young people in the program, offering advice and encouragement to orphaned children and vulnerable youth as they endure the challenging process of changing their lives for good. He often shares with them, “Men die of boredom, psychological conflict and disease. They do not die of hard work. Zoe Empowers is the catalyst that propelled me from dust to destiny.”

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

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At the same time, it was decided that I, along with the Zoe Empowers storytelling team, would join Pamela and John in Malawi when they meet their group for the first time. For more than a decade, I’ve listened to children tell stories of how they have overcome the toughest of circumstances. I honestly thought I knew what to expect. I would later discover the enormity of this particular trip to Malawi with Pamela and John. The impact was nothing that I expected.

Like any other trip, the U.S. and Malawi staff began preparations for the scheduled visit. John and Pamela applied for their Kenyan passports, the hotel rooms were booked, transportation was reserved, and plane tickets were purchased. Before long, the travel day had arrived.

I landed in Malawi, along with our photographer Kara, and writer Katie. The first thing on the agenda was to visit the Together We Can group supported by the children in Kenya. We pulled up in our van to a large group of smiling children who were excited to meet us. I was told Pamela and John would arrive soon. As I waited with the children, I could not help but look into the eyes of each child in this extraordinary group, and as I did, the gravity of what I was about to witness began to settle in.

Only a few short years ago, Pamela and John battled to survive each day. They were isolated from their community and had lost hope in their future. They were just like the children in the group they were minutes away from meeting. Today, they are not only Zoe Empowers graduates, but they are also Zoe Empowers donors. I tried to imagine their reactions when they are greeted by the children, given they have always been on the other side, welcoming visitors from America for the Kenya Zoe Empowers program.

I watched in the background while Pamela and John, along with Kenya facilitator Mercy, arrived. They emerged from the van as dozens of children wearing Zoe Empowers t-shirts sang and danced, welcoming them to Malawi. It was an incredible moment to witness.

Pamela and John were like any other traveler with cell phones held high trying to capture the event on video to share with friends back in Kenya. John tried as hard as he could to play it cool, but he could not contain the massive smile permanently etched on his face. He eventually gave up and soaked in the moment with pure joy. The visit was incredible in every way possible. Read about their group visit here.

Soon we were all driving to our hotel for check-in followed by dinner in the dining hall. At the hotel, we were assigned individual cottage-style rooms with our doors facing each other in a cluster. John and Pamela seemed quiet and honestly a bit confused. I was not sure if they had everything they needed or if they were just tired from the long day of travel. They eventually joined us for dinner but chose a different table, leaving us with three empty chairs. Once again, they seemed a bit confused when we invited them to sit at our table.

The next morning, I shared coffee with Mercy, the Kenyan facilitator, who accompanied John and Pamela to Malawi. I asked her how the kids were doing because they seemed a little quiet when I tried to talk with them. She gave me some insight by joyfully sharing, “They are overwhelmed and shocked that they are being treated as donors. They did not expect that.” She went on to say, “They thought they would be staying in the village with one of the children and never dreamed they would be staying at the same hotel as the Americans. They told me they do not believe they are sleeping in the same type of hotel room as Tina, who is Zoe Empowers U.S. staff. They are shocked to be eating the same food, the same snacks, and riding in the same transportation as the Americans.”

I was speechless and trying to process the statement, “They do not believe they are sleeping in the same type of hotel room as…me”.

Mercy continued, “This will be incredible news in Kenya and will spread throughout the program. Tina, I am telling you, the children in Kenya will also be shocked. This will raise their status and change how all the children in the program view themselves.”

Again, I was speechless. It never occurred to me that Pamela and John would expect to join us in Malawi as anyone other than who they are – donors who generously partner with an empowerment group. Even more so, I never expected this to be something that would change the way thousands of children would view themselves in Kenya.

I think back to the moment when John tried to contain his smile as dozens of children greeted him with song and dance. At the time, I thought he was trying to play it cool, but it was actually something entirely different. I was witnessing the physical expression of transformative dignity when it emerges for everyone to see. True dignity. It cannot be contained. It cannot be hidden. It manifests in such a way that the world has no choice but to take notice.

We ended our trip with some group photos. I motioned for Pamela and John to ask if I could take a picture with them. They made their way over to me, strutting with pride and laughter, saying, “Tina wants a photo with us! The DONORS.”

The sense of pride they felt to be called a Zoe Empowers donor has changed me. It is an honor that most of us take for granted. The children in Kenya tell me they give because they were inspired by their American partners who give to children they have never met.

The 100,000+ children served through the Zoe Empowers program give back to their community in ways that are impossible to measure. They are survivors of the direst of circumstances while living in hopeless poverty, yet they found the strength to conquer it with the help of partners like you to become self-sufficient. They have ended the cycle of poverty for the next generation. It is an incredible achievement in and of itself. Yet, they do not stop there. Instead, they generously give. To me, Pamela and John, along with all the children in the Zoe Empowers program, are more than donors, they are heroes.

Join Pamela, John and all the Zoe Empowers children who believe empowerment is the answer to end poverty.

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Pamela, like John, never imagined she would own a passport, much less get the opportunity to use it, especially at the young age of 29. She pictured her friends’ reactions when she returned with stories from her experience. John and Pamela both graduated from Zoe Empowers Kenya.

John graduated in 2018 and operates a spare parts shop and taxi service, while Pamela, a 2012 graduate, runs a tailoring shop specializing in wedding fashion. With the help of their employees, they were able to take four days away from their respective businesses to join Mercy in Malawi, a trip gifted to them for their leadership.

Last fall, while hundreds of Zoe Empowers children in Kenya fundraised to give back to the program, Pamela donated $100 USD and John donated $50 USD to the effort. As representatives chosen by their peers from Zoe Empowers, they were gifted a trip to Malawi to visit the empowerment group the Kenyan children helped to fund.

John and Pamela are greeted in Malawi.

John can hardly believe he is now greeted as a donor. He video records the moment and sends his friends in Kenya an update. Read the back story about this moment here. 

When asked why they chose to donate to Zoe Empowers, Pamela and John expressed a similar sentiment: Their lives had been transformed by the generosity of strangers. Now, their deep gratitude for what God has done in their lives is what motivates them to give more children the same support.

Pamela greets their empowerment group on behalf of the children in Kenya.

Upon arrival, the Malawi children greeted John and Pamela with singing, dancing and homemade musical instruments. During the visit, both Kenyan travelers shared intimate details of their transformation through Zoe Empowers.

John explained how the sudden passing of his father left him responsible for his household when he was just a young teenager. In his empowerment group, he found friends who related to his struggles and helped him overcome them. “Nothing is impossible in this world as long as you put God ahead,” John said to his captive audience.

Pamela told the children about the substance abuse issues of her father, and the tragic loss of both her parents. The love she found in her Zoe group filled a significant void for connection and belonging.

“Ensure you love in your group. Love one another,” said Pamela, confidently. “With love, you can surpass money. With love you can do more for each other. That is why Zoe children are now supporting more children with fundraising. It is because of love.”

The Malawi children were shocked to learn Pamela and John were once Zoe children. Before the Kenyan donors departed, one charismatic girl in the Malawi group made sure to tell the Pamela and John that their partnership had inspired them and, one day, they also want to fund an empowerment group.

John and Pamela encourage their partnered group.

Through Zoe Empowers, $100 USD will fund the empowerment program for an orphan on their journey out of extreme poverty for one year. Match Pamela’s donation of $100 and your will continue to grow for years to come as the young people you support become independent business owners, community leaders and philanthropists, just like John and Pamela.

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Compared to the need for food, clothing and shelter, tribal traditions are often less recognizable at-a-glance but can be a significant challenge for orphans before the Zoe Empowers program. In the case of Edward, he and his three younger siblings were living in rural Malawi in their father’s home village when both their parents passed away unexpectedly. Instead of offering comfort and support, their paternal relatives chased the four siblings, all under the age of 14, out of their home because they no longer had living lineage to the village, telling them things such as, “Your life is over. There’s nothing you can do.” Edward and his siblings found refuge in a vacated storage shed in their mother’s home village. 

Less than 60-square feet in size, the small brick room’s thatched roof and door had large holes, leaving the child-headed family exposed to various elements, including rain and mosquitoes. Edward and his siblings relied on a single rapa, a thin piece of fabric traditionally used by African women for skirts, to keep warm. Each day, Edward worked hard to secure piece jobs, such as cultivating land or running errands, to earn a single meal, usually corn, for his siblings. “When we moved there, that was when we began to know the hardships of being an orphan,” explained Edward. 

Photo of Edward in front of former home that has now been repaired and is used as a kitchen.

When asked if he had dreams during this time of his life, he responded, “I had dreams but they were not colorful dreams, because I didn’t think I could achieve them.” He dreamed about getting enough food for his siblings, so they could all be healthy. He also dreamed about having a secure house, one that didn’t leak during storms and that had a door with a lock.

In May 2017, Edward and his siblings were accepted into the Zoe Empowers program. Because he was recruited after the 2017 harvest, Edward chose to focus on starting a small shop to sell groceries and other personal care products. He was diligent about saving his proceeds from the store to invest in seeds and farmland for the 2018-2019 planting season. Last fall, Edward rented 11 acres of farmland to plant peanuts, corn, soybeans and groundnuts. 

Edward’s harvest bin filled with maize.

While all his crops yielded great results this spring, his bumper harvest of corn stood out among other Zoe Empowers children. Edward currently has more than 110 bags of corn in storage, ready to be sold. One bag of corn sells for roughly $14 giving him a total of $1540. He used some of his earnings to invest in 15 bales of tobacco, a major cash crop in Malawi. Each bail is worth roughly $154. 

Over the summer, Edward chose to temporarily close his grocery store to manage his harvest and diversify his income streams with the purchase of a motorbike. He employs a young orphan, Oswald whom Edward adopted into their family. Edward asks Oswald for a modest $4/day allowing him to keep the rest of his daily earnings. Additionally, Edward employs Masawu to watch his cow. Because Masawu has special needs, tending to Edward’s cow has proven to be the perfect job for him, and it has brought him a lot of happiness to be able to help Edward while earning a fair wage. 

Left to right: Oswald, Edward and Masawu.

Beyond his business success, another notable achievement for Edward is the construction of his new, multi-room home, which sits directly in front of the storage shed he and his siblings occupied just two years ago. The shed is now used as the family’s kitchen. Primarily composed of cement and brick, the new home features glass windows, a tin roof and a wooden door with a lock, just like Edward dreamed about. There is plenty of space for his three siblings, plus Oswald. Edward is able to pay the school fees for all four of his siblings. A small addition was added to the front of the house for the grocery store, making it easy to open and close the shop during different seasons. 

Edward inside his new home standing next to his stored harvest and shop inventory.

With one year remaining in the Zoe Empowers program, Edward has evolved his goals, since he already achieved what he never thought was possible. His eyes brighten and his smile grows as he talks about his aspirations to own a mini bus to expand his transportation service. But more than anything, he wants to help the Zoe Empowers program expand its reach in his village. He says community members often come to him for advice because they’ve witnessed his success and transformation. He sees a sincere need for others to receive the same training and support as him, and he believes Zoe Empowers is the answer. 

“The death of people extends past the area where I live. I reach out to as many orphans in my community as I can, but I am only one person. When will Zoe Empowers expand to other areas to reach more orphans?” asked Edward. “I am very successful because of this program. Others have seen my transformation, and the news has traveled to other villages. Many people come here to meet me. Sometimes, they come to beg or ask advice about how I achieved my success. They share about their issues since they also lost their parents. I want to see Zoe Empowers expand into more areas because it is unique from other organizations I’ve been registered with. Those programs didn’t solve my problems. They would just give me food and go. Instead of giving fish, Zoe Empowers is giving fishing sticks so we can do it on our own.” 

A monthly gift of $9 has taken Edward from extreme poverty to being a happy, healthy, successful businessman, employer to two orphans and provider to four siblings (one adopted).

How many children like Edward can you give lasting sustainable change? 

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‒ Samuel, 2018 graduate of Zoe Empowers Rwanda

Jiggers, a debilitating medical condition caused by the chigoe flea burrowing into the skin, lined the fingers and toes of Samuel*. The pain was excruciating. Walking was practically unbearable, but as the eldest child to two deceased parents, he knew he had to earn money to support his two younger siblings, so he sought out daily cash labor jobs in his small Rwandan village. 

“I was a bad example among youth,” said Samuel* about his life before Zoe Empowers. “I stole things. I was in prison. People saw me as the biggest problem in the community.”

In the same village, unbeknown to Samuel, was another young orphan named Chance*. Although Chance also had two younger siblings, he had become separated from them since living on the streets. To stay alive, Chance got a job cleaning at a local butcher shop. He was paid in left-over scraps and intestines from the butchered pigs. Without access to other food, this became his only option.

Consuming pig waste caused Chance to contract many diseases and parasites. When community members learned this, they called him a “wild animal” when he passed through the streets. His feelings of anger and loneliness led him to use drugs to cope. Most nights he slept in the bushes outside city limits, in hopes of not being noticed. 

The paths of Samuel and Chance crossed when both joined the Zoe Empowers Rwanda program in 2015. Until then, they were unaware so many orphans in their community suffered from similar challenges: the inability to afford daily meals, a safe shelter, healthcare services, clean clothes or attend school, to name a few. There was more than 60 children in their empowerment group who could relate to one another. Immediately, Samuel and Chance felt accepted and understood. 

A formality of the empowerment group model is that the children must select one of their peers to be the group chairman. The group selected Samuel to be the chairman, an appointment he says gave him “self-esteem and dignity,” as he previously never considered himself a leader. 

“Finding a place to belong gave us dignity.”

Within the first six months of the empowerment program, the two young men received woodworking training. Chance used his training to get a job in construction, while Samuel began making commercial signs for members of his empowerment group and community members. Before long, both young men were earning a respectable profit.

A steady income allowed Samuel and Chance to afford a variety of nutritious food, both through their personal plots of land, which they had received instruction on how to cultivate, and by purchasing items at the community market. Regular meals made them feel stronger and provided more energy to work and socialize. The community took notice. In a matter of months, two men whom they use to name call and ridicule, were not only contributing to the economy through woodworking, but they also shopped at the market and wore clean clothes, a public sign of success. 

A Zoe Empowers facilitator helped Chance get access to proper medication to cure him of his intestinal issues. Healthy and in good spirits, Zoe Empowers’ resources also helped Chance reunite with his two younger siblings, whom he was able to re-enroll in school thanks to his construction work profits. Samuel and his siblings received treatment for their jiggers-laden skin, making everyday movement significantly easier. One year into the empowerment program, the two friends, along with their group, began to forget about the darkness of their past lives and look forward to all that was yet to come. 

As their woodworking businesses grew, community members began to ask them for help more frequently. Leveraging their business lessons on market analysis, Chance and Samuel saw a need for a more robust woodworking shop in their community. By the time of graduation, the two men joined forces to open a souvenir shop and training center where they sell hand-carved wooden items, signs and other local goods as well as provide mentorship and trade skills training to other young orphans. 

Currently, they employ eight people, four boys and four girls, in the shop and have trained countless others in the community. The boys train in woodworking, while the girls train in sewing and basket weaving. Chance and Samuel are passionate about passing their skills to as many people as possible. Samuel has traveled as far as Uganda to help one of his trainees open his own shop. He likes how his talent can attach to many lives and empower others.

“Our talent is now empowering others.”

“Before Zoe, I use to complain to God, asking why he made me suffer.” said Samuel. “Now, I see what I would have lost if I would have given up. I would have missed so many things. I would not be here to help others.”

Chance attributes his empowerment group to helping him feel “human again”. He says that before his time with Zoe Empowers he could not be touched, but, today, hugs, dancing and affection are a natural part of his day. He considers the Zoe Empowers’ partners his parents, and he thanks God for connecting him with the program.

*Names have been changed based on the sensitive content in this story.

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

$9 a month per child can change that.

A monthly gift of $39 over 3 years empowers five orphans out of poverty. How many children like Chance and Samuel can you give lasting sustainable change?

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Traveling primarily by foot, or seated three-deep on a motorbike, children from four Zoe Empowers working groups gathered, roughly two miles outside of the Tharaka city center, at M.C.K. Karwamba Church. The hot African sun was high in the sky, casting short shadows on the long wooden benches and multi-colored plastic chairs previously arranged in a circular formation outside the church.

The Zoe Empowers children anticipated this celebration, of which they called ‘Thanksgiving,’ for several months. Instead of a single day of feasting with friends and family as we know the holiday in the West, this was the kickoff of a two-month initiative, self-organized amongst the groups, to collectively raise money to fund another Zoe Empowers empowerment group in Africa.

Less than two years prior, these same children, most of whom were head of their household, in charge of one or more siblings due to parental death or abandonment, survived by eating once a day, battled recurring illness and called ill-equipped shelters home. They were trapped in the cycle of poverty and believed in nothing, not even themselves.

Since joining ZOE’s three-year empowerment program, these young people, now in their second year, have realized that to reach more orphans living like they once were, they, too, must join the fight to end poverty.

This realization is one of the many ways empowerment manifests within Zoe Empowers children. When lack of connection, income, food and resources become challenges of the past, the feeling of gratitude emerges. As a result, their sense of obligation to help others is ignited and events like Thanksgiving in Tharaka are self-organized amongst the groups.

In tradition with African culture, each Zoe Empowers group entered the circle formed by the seating arrangement with a unified song and dance. For several minutes, the children loudly chanted predetermined phrases such as “The Lord has done so much for me so that’s why I’m praising him” and “We are bringing Thanksgiving” as they made their way into the center of the circle, moving naturally to the rhythm of homemade percussion instruments and high-pitched whistles.

One-by-one, the Zoe Empowers children danced their way to the front of the circle to drop their personal offering into a hand-woven collection basket situated on a small wooden table attended by two group mentors. With each dollar contributed, the chants loudened; the dance moves exaggerated. Sidelined groups laughed, smiled and moved in-place, waiting for their opportunity to give.

As the ceremony came to a close, the donation total was announced. Collectively, on the first day of the Thanksgiving initiative, the four groups raised an impressive $1,143. Cheering erupted amongst the hundreds of Zoe Empowers children gathered. As of November 27, 2018, $12,415 has been raised by over 1,800 children to donate back to the Zoe Empowers program.

When asked why being a donor at the Thanksgiving initiative was so important, Zoe Empowers group members replied:

“I want to give so others don’t have to suffer the way I suffered.” -Edward, 20

“I’m happy I have come so far, and now I feel I need to support others.” Joseph, 16

“I just wanted to thank Zoe Empowers for the support.” -Lillian, 19

As dusk began to set in and the light cloud of red dust that billowed above the gathering, kicked-up from heavy foot traffic, slowly settled onto every square inch of clothing and belongings of those in attendance, a lighthearted buzz could be heard amongst the children—now donors—as they mingled and conversed in small groups. Joyful, grateful and generous young people; this was the definition of empowerment. This was the work of God.

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

Today, we’re asking you to join the Zoe Empowers children. A monthly gift of $39 over 3 years empowers 5 orphans to never need charity again. How many children can you give lasting sustainable change?

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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

The post ZOE Children Donate $7,100: Margaret’s Story appeared first on Zoe Empowers.

The orphans and vulnerable children in ZOE’s three-year empowerment program spoke with ZOE’s local staff saying, “We are amazed at how generous people helped us have a chance at life. Can we also give so that more orphans will have the same chance?” 

The local staff members in Kenya were surprised. Even though Zoe Empowers has a different approach through empowering orphans to help themselves, it had not occurred to the staff that these young people, who only a few years ago were starving and sometimes homeless, would become donors.

At the children’s request, Zoe Empowers staff organized a ‘Thanksgiving’ event where 510 current participants and past graduates gathered to give thanks for what God has done in their lives. At the event, they donated over $7,100 to help more orphans enter the program! The staff members were stunned. The politicians and local leaders were stunned. No one had ever heard of a mission project where the orphans themselves became donors to the program. 

Reegan, Zoe Empowers Chief Program Officer shared, “It’s incredible to see how happy the children were. One child told me that he gave money to reach out to the needy because someone from somewhere reached out to him.”

Fridah, a first-year member of the Neema Kawene group, contributed $20. She had been the recipient of a house through a micro-grant from Zoe Empowers and she shared how happy she was for the opportunity to support another homeless orphan to have a place to sleep.

Anisia, a second-year member of the Winners Gituampiu group, gave her donation and expressed how grateful she was to have been supported by ZOE.  She no longer toils in farms owned by other people because has her own business. Anisia is thankful to know that another orphan living in extreme poverty will be able to start a business.

Foida, who is a member of the Faith Akui group, currently runs a successful shop.She understands the challenges of being orphaned and poor because she was once a young caregiver without a stable source of income. She gave her donation to reach out to an orphan who may be in a similar situation of desperate need. 

This opportunity to give back is priceless to these young people. They have regained a sense of lost dignity through the opportunity to help make dreams come true for others.

Join the children of ZOE

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