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 you, their life began to change.
Valens and his brother were alone and isolated following the death of their parents. When they joined ZOE’s Isaro Working Group in Rwanda, they discovered children who had similar stories with whom they could share their challenges. Through the training he received from Zoe Empowers, Valens learned how to plant a garden of vegetables, and he received a goat which provided milk and fertilizer for his garden. The goat, and no longer being hungry, accounts for the smile on Valens’ face.
Another gift from Zoe Empowers is that he and his brother can attend school. Connection to his classmates and to his working group has resolved the isolation he felt. He participates in devotions and prayer with his working group. Through Zoe Empowers, Valens has learned to give and receive support from his group members as they work together to overcome poverty.
Although Valens is still working towards self-reliance, his big dream has been achieved. Recently he received a pig, which he will breed for a second source of income for himself and his brother. Thanks to your support, children like Valens are changing their lives every day!