Zozu Project

Our Mission

To lift communities out of extreme poverty by partnering with local African leaders to provide family-focused hope, education and economic opportunity. 

Our Name

“Zozu” means thrive in Lugbara, the local tribal language.

Our Vision

Our vision is to see that each child in the village where we work has access to food, clean water, medical care, spiritual care, education, and an opportunity to one day provide for themselves and their family. Through the empowerment of the youngest generation, our ultimate goal is for every person in Ewuata village in Arua to thrive and reach their God given potential. 

Our Core Values

Community - because we believe that transformative change occurs through relationships and supportive communities.

Dignity - because we strive to promote respect and the inherent worth of all people through equitable and accountable partnerships.

Integrity - because integrity produces honesty and transparency in all we do and say.

Hope - because extreme poverty produces a hopelessness that is not overcome by wealth alone.

Love - because everything we do is grounded in the love of Jesus Christ, which fuels our other core values.

Our Philosophy

<img src="http://www.zozuproject.org/images/About%20Us%20Infrographic.png" height="630" width="720">We have three parts to our philosophy. The first is our heart for children, as they are Uganda’s future. When children and their parents have hope for a future, the cycle of poverty is truly broken. As much as we are able to, we work holistically to serve the children and their families relationally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Secondly, we have a preference for the local leaders, churches, and organizations in Arua, Uganda. As much as possible, we partner with existing groups to provide basic needs, education, and sustainable community development. Our goal is to empower the local people to break the cycle of extreme poverty through holistic and long term developmental change, and recognize that we have much to learn from them as well. After all, "a true non-profit is the only company that actively works to put itself out of business." 

Finally, we believe there are no quick or easy fixes, and we are committed to doing more than just treating the symptoms of extreme poverty. Researching evidence-based strategies and leaning from those we serve and outside advice is necessary to be faithful to our mission. Our methods are always organically adapting to the needs of the community, and the doors that open for us to meet them.