While we were running the feeding program once a week and had sometime before we could start identifying kids and start getting furniture for the house, we decided we should start an education program in the mean time. The program we started is entitled, “Education Empowerment Program.” Our idea with this program is to give kids the opportunity to pursue education and empower them to get their mindset to believe that education is important and can be a way out of poverty stricken situations. We want to give them hope and tangible ways of being able to go to school.

We found out through local friend and board member, Phillip, that there are numerous kids in the rural areas who can’t go to school because they have no way of affording the simple requirements of books, notebooks, pens, etc. Therefore, we are including in our budget buying school materials for the children and families that cannot afford them. The first time we did this was such a blessing! We bought boxes full of material that are required for students to have at schools, and then traveled to the rural areas and met kids and families at a local church. This church was a very small, simple, and bare building with a couple of chairs in a 10ft x 10ft room. Most people sat on the floor. After the service which Zach and Phillip led, we let Phillip and Suzana hand out all of the supplies to the children. The joy on everyone’s faces was absolutely incredible! It was a blessing for them, but for us also. We were able to make a banner for this specific program and it was great to hold it up with all of the kids and their smiling faces.

We would love to continue doing this program as part of the Friends of Zimbabwe (FOZ) project. With God’s grace and your generous support we can continue to do this. There are lots of photos this time so enjoy our first experience with this!