St. Luke’s partners with ZOE Empowers
Zoe Empowers is a three-year empowerment model which provides 8 general inputs in a holistic fashion, working with extreme poverty in 7 program countries (Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Malawi and India). This program empowers these orphans and vulnerable children to become economically, socially, and spiritually strong.
St. Luke’s UMC has partnered with over 1200 children, in 15 empowerment groups. Over 400 households have been able to be a part of this life-saving and life-changing empowerment model thanks to the generosity of our congregation.
To view the latest report from our Abunzubumwe Kigembe, Rwanda Group that began meeting last year, please click the link below.
Abunzubumwe Kigembe, Rwanda, 2023-2025, first year report
We also have a family video report to share
Other families, individuals and Bible study groups associated with St. Luke’s UMC, including the United Women in Faith and our own Children’s Ministry have also partnered with empowerment groups of their own.
In 2024, we have pledged to start a new group in Zimbabwe, that will be forming in April 2024.
We have a team from St. Luke’s who are currently visiting Zimbabwe, where they will be able to meet the children of this new group. They will be there from April 10-19, 2024.
There will also be a trip taking place later this year, to Rwanda, tentatively planned for summer 2024. If you are interested in learning more about Zoe Empowers or about our upcoming mission experiences, please contact serve@st.lukes.org.
June 2023 Trip to Rwanda
The St. Luke’s team that went to Rwanda in June returned transformed, blessed and inspired by the ZOE children and the empowerment model.
Click on the image below to watch this video. We hope you get inspired as well!
Click on the images below to watch as the Rwanda Missions Team start their journey!
November 2023 update
To see the November 2023 update
for the St. Luke’s UMC groups that are currently being supported in Zimbabwe,
click on the link below:
To see the report the ZOE Empowers Alumni Households in Rwanda
Below are just some of the updates from some of our most recent Zoe groups.
Precious Mushunje, Zimbabwe, 2021-2024
As an example of what all the youth have achieved, we have a video report on a family from your group available through this link: Precious Mushunje
The Zimbabwe staff also provided this general update about your group:
- Precious Group members received a group grant and started buying and selling dry goods such as cooking oil, recharge cards, cooking oil, and flour. With the profits, they started a broiler chicken project. Profits are also used to boost their table bank.
- The group members continued with table banking in their second year by contributing $10 per month. In June, they shared dividends and members used the funds to construct toilets, buy household items and clothes for their siblings, pay school fees, and pay vocational training fees.
- Heads of household are running more than one business, hiring other orphans to assist them, and starting businesses for their siblings. Some members have formed businesses together.
- They bought agricultural inputs using their resources and are now growing different crops such as groundnuts, cowpeas, maize, groundnuts, beans, and sunflowers. The group member’s maize harvest increased from an average of 10 x 50kg to an average of 14 x 50kg of maize. They are also purchasing livestock which can improve the nutrition of their meals and also serve as a form of savings.
Lifted Up Manzununu Zimbabwe, 2021-2024
Peace Runyararo Mutasa, Zimbabwe 2022-2025
Rudorwashe “The Love of God” Guta, Zimbabwe, 2023-2026
Abunzubumwe “Unity” Kigembe, Rwanda, 2023-2025
Abundance Chidazembe, Zimbabwe, 2020-2023
If you would like to help support the ZOE Empowerment working groups that St. Luke’s sponsors, please click on the button below and choose “ZOE” from the fund dropdown box.