Dear Vicki,

The Zoe Empowers group partnered with New Hope has entered their third year and final year in the empowerment program.  Due to your financial support, prayer, and trust in their abilities, the youth-led families have made great strides to overcome the suffering and challenges of extreme poverty.  

During their second year in the Zoe program, the youth continued to put into practice what they had learned during the intense trainings of the first year.  They worked hard to expand their businesses and/or create additional income projects as well as improve their agricultural endeavors.  At the end of this email are some highlights provided by the program facilitator.

 We appreciate that you have stood behind these young people for the past two years so that they could create the foundation on which they will continue to build a better future for themselves, their families, and their community.

With gratitude,
Laura  

As an example of what all the youth have achieved, we have the following video report to share with you

I hope you find this video encouraging and inspiring.  Please feel free to download and share.

Better Life Group Highlights

·         The group is running a chicken broiler and nutrition garden project. They used some of the profits realized to assist a member who lost her grandmother to purchase a coffin and groceries during the funeral. They also bought kitchen utensils and shared among themselves.

·         The group is still doing its table banking. Each member is contributing $5.00 per month. Group members are taking loans which they are using to improve their businesses as well as to start other businesses for their siblings. From their savings they assisted 2 members to buy livestock after an outbreak of a disease that affected their traditional chickens. They bought 10 chicks for each member. 

·         Households grow different crops such as maize, round nuts, beans, sweet potatoes, millet, and cowpeas. They used their own resources to purchase the seeds. Their harvest has increased to an average of 15x 50 kg of maize.  Quantity and quality of meals have improved; they can now eat at least two meals a day. 

·         Achievements made by the group members include diversification of projects, sibling re-enrolled in school, and construction of protected wells for clean and safe water.

·         The households are saving through livestock, individual tin banking, and table banking.