Angelique’s Journey to Self-Reliance
Orphaned at eight years old, Angelique struggled with her sister Clementine just to survive in Rwanda. Because she was so young, no one would hire her to work. She and her sister were forced to beg for food to eat. During the dry season when there were no crops, people had little or nothing to […]
ZOE: An Agent for Change in Program Countries
From national and local advocacy, to involving government leaders in ZOE’s programs and celebrations, Zoe Empowers extends its influence by demonstrating the amazing outcomes for children in the empowerment program. From improving the lives of vulnerable children to influencing the institutions of government, Zoe Empowers is an effective change agent. Community leaders are integrally involved in the […]
Graduation Day
These children had no food. Some survived by working essentially as slaves in the fields of neighbors, receiving barely enough food to survive as payment for a day’s back-breaking work. Others survived by begging on the streets or stealing. Frequently they were sick with malaria. Outcasts in their community, they had no hope and no […]
A Home and a New Life for Adeline
Today, Adeline has reason to smile. Only a couple of years ago she and her four siblings were living on the streets of their Rwandan village and begging to get meager amounts of food. On the worst weeks, they ate only one meal every other day. Then Zoe Empowers came to their community and changed their […]
A Harvest of Food and Faith for Samuel
“The day of my baptism I fed my guests with vegetables from my kitchen garden. It was the first time in my life that I found a meal delicious.” – Samuel, Zoe Empowers Rwanda November is a time for us to celebrate harvest and bounty, often with family and friends. We take time to be grateful […]
Beyond the Orphanage: How Eve was Empowered
A common, yet heart-breaking situation arises when a community has too many orphans and too few people to care for them. In many villages in Africa, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, war, disease, and poverty leave thousands of young children without family or relatives to provide for them every day. When well-meaning Western organizations see children languishing […]
Delphine Overcomes Abuse to Achieve Her Dreams
Abused, Alone, Raising a Daughter and Siblings Delphine lost both of her parents when she was just 13 years old. After years filled with hunger, sickness and abuse, she was invited to join Zoe Empowers with her two brothers, sister and infant daughter. During the first few days, Zoe Empowers was there to welcome her and invite […]
ZOE Participants Educate Their Communities
ZOE seeks to improve the lives of orphans in HIV/AIDS-ravaged communities by teaching them about the causes of the disease and how to care for those infected. In program countries that struggle with the disease, children in ZOE’s program attend several training meetings aimed at health and disease prevention, and are encouraged to form anti-AIDS clubs. These […]
Meet a Zoe Empowers Child: Leodomile
Leodomile is a young adult and a proud businessman who has worked hard and overcome many challenges for his success. As a young teenager in Rwanda, Leodomile became the sole provider for his three siblings, the youngest only one year old. To survive, he worked on difficult construction jobs for little pay. At times, when […]
Meet a Zoe Empowers Child: Diane’s Story
Mission trips are all about helping others. Diane and her story are a great example of how mission trips can change lives. Diane is smiling because her dream has come true. After being orphaned at age 13 with her three-year-old sister, Diane had little hope for the future. All of her family’s resources had been […]