Dignity is Found When Paying it Forward: From a Traveler’s Perspective
High in the hills, in a village of Rwanda, Jeanie, Cheryl, Katherine and I sat in a small and tidy house listening to the stories of how four young men’s lives had been transformed through Zoe. Samuel, Emmanuel, Daniel, and Ernest each took turns sharing how desperate their lives used to be. Similar themes of […]
Seeing is Believing – Until Now
Zoe Empowers impact outcomes are no longer reserved only for those who travel. Monitoring, tracking and reporting on the progress of each empowerment group is a top priority for us. For more than a decade, this has allowed the indigenous staff to evaluate the children’s progress internally, monitor program results and allocate resources efficiently. Although […]
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
What a time it would be if, instead of idolizing those with big muscles, fancy cars and expensive homes, we admired those who had the exact opposite. What if we looked up to people like Gentil, a young Rwandan boy whom you’ve never met but likely won’t forget.
Defying Cultural Norms in the Name of Fatherhood
Although Emmanuel is not genetically the father of Moses, caring for him and his sister has brought significant meaning and joy to his life.
Farming For a Better Future
Through the energetic demeanor and glittering eyes of Samuel and his group members, it’s clear the rice farm has produced much more than food, it has created purpose. And with purpose, has come both hope and expectation for an even better future.
Jean Claude Uses Carpentry To Build More Than Furniture
“I once felt like my life was dipping into nothing. Today I feel so blessed that I cannot keep it all for myself so I have started a training program for other youth in my community.” – Jean Claude, 2017 Zoe Empowers Rwanda graduate. Before Zoe Empowers, Jean Claude remembers being so poor that he could not even […]
Justice is Served and Dignity is Reclaimed
ZOE taught Pacifique how to defend her personal rights and as a result, her working group helped her press charges against her former abuser. He was tried, found guilty, and is now serving twenty years in prison.
ZOE and Malaria Prevention
Malaria is an awful disease, debilitating at best and fatal at worst, killing nearly half a million people worldwide each year. The children who enter ZOE’s empowerment program face this threat continually and many have lost their parents to the disease. Zoe Empowers joins others as part of a global movement seeking to eliminate this scourge. […]
A Safe Place for Self-Reliance to Grow
We all know that housing is a basic human necessity. To have a place that provides safety and protection from the elements is critical to becoming sustainably self-reliant. Ensuring children have a safe place to live is a top priority for each Zoe Empowers program. Because of the way the Zoe Empowers model adapts, different countries provide […]
ZOE Helps Valens Return to School
Receiving a goat was the beginning of a new life for Valens. He and his 14-year-old brother were orphans living in a rundown house with no one to visit or help them. They had resorted to begging for their meager meals when they were invited to join ZOE’s empowerment program. Then, thanks to donors like […]