Douglas had a dream as a child to become a carpenter but never had hope of achieving it. He was born in poverty, with no father to raise him and a mother who was disabled and unable to provide for him. Douglas has been his mother’s caregiver for as long as he can remember. They had no other relatives to help; only their church would occasionally bring food to them. He had to drop out of school so he could work for food. Because he was young, he was often exploited and given only a small amount of money or food for a long day’s work. It was no surprise that after years of living this way, Douglas was weak and sick with malaria when he joined ZOE.
Douglas first felt a glimmer of hope at his initial group meeting in his Kenya village, when ZOE’s staff shared that God loved him and had a plan for him. Rather than receiving handouts of food, the children would be provided with seeds and farming tools. They would learn farming skills together and help one another grow food.
ZOE helped Douglas get medical treatment, and learn to use a mosquito net. He and his mother each received nets to prevent future illness.
Douglas shared his dream of being a carpenter with his group and made a plan for it to come true. Through Zoe Empowers, he learned about business, financial management, and operations through an apprenticeship with a local carpenter. Once Douglas’ training was complete, Zoe Empowers provided him with tools so he could work for himself. The support of donors like you of Zoe Empowers helped Douglas’ dream come to life: he will soon open a carpentry shop and “build the best furniture” in his village.