Stories of Hope: The Two Helens

Epiphanie Mujawimana, founder of ZOE’s empowerment model, was visiting with some Americans as many barefoot African children played around them. One American said to her, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could give shoes to all these children?” Epiphanie responded, “Wouldn’t it be better if they could buy their own shoes?”

Moving beyond traditional aid models, this is precisely what ZOE aims to do for orphans and vulnerable children in Africa. One essential component of the program is small business training, which gives these children the skills they need to provide for themselves and their family for the rest of their lives.

This summer I was privileged to meet two girls, both named Helen, whose lives were being transformed by ZOE’s Orphan Empowerment Program. I met both orphans in rural Kenya as they were hard at work in a hair salon started several months earlier by the older Helen. The younger Helen was training with her each day for about half the normal cost.

As they took turns working on styling their customer’s hair, who also happened to be the adult mentor of the Working Group, they went back and forth between smiles, laughter, and serious talk about the proper way to blow-dry hair and use a hot comb. A couple of customers waited in line outside this clearly thriving small business.

It was evident when you talked with them that the training they received had given them confidence, and dreams for a better future. The younger Helen had four school-age siblings she was supporting, and dreams of someday owning a large hair salon.

“I want to support my siblings to achieve their life goals,” she said. “Whatever they want to achieve in life, even if they want to be doctors, I will support them.”

Your support of ZOE provides the training and tools for these children forever changing their lives. ZOE’s training model not only addresses the needs of one orphan, but makes use of the ripple effect of training several children, encouraging them to train others, and then the others go on to share knowledge with even more members, until the whole group is lifted out of poverty.

— Mandie Sellars
Director of Communications, ZOE Ministry