More Finalists
March 11, 2010
Daughters of Zion International
There are more than 11 million orphans in the rural areas throughout Zambia.
Region #10: Chicago, IL
Daughters of Zion International supports orphan children in rural areas throughout Zambia. They provide food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education. The organization's recent "safe haven" project aims to build concrete flats to replace many mud huts where orphans are currently living. And the group has recently added a learning center for orphans who are so impoverished that they cannot attend public school, due to fees associated with their education or simply because they're too far behind. The group also offers an empowerment program for women in villages, teaching them to become self-sufficient and trying to give joy to so many people who merely exist.
"Daughters of Zion International (DOZIN) is a Christian-based, not-for-profit organization that supports impoverished and disadvantaged children, women and families. DOZIN's primary focus is to support children, especially female children who have been abandoned or separated from their parents. As a public charity under 501(c) 3 Daughter of Zion sees love as its motivating force. Spirituality, social resources and recreational activities are used to tackle the goal."
"Daughters of Zion International is a nonprofit organization that has taken the challenge to reach beyond the reachable and all cross culture barriers to bring restoration to the hopeless children/women in Zambia (Africa)."
"There are more than 11 million orphans in the rural areas throughout Zambia who have no means of support and no "voice" to express it. They are dying alone daily. If you took a poll, many people don't even know where Zambia is. Those that have traveled to Zambia wouldn't know this problem exists because they never leave the main city. Daughters of Zion has become that voice for these children. They not only have assistance programs to help aid and rescue these children from their devastation but the are also advocates to alert others of the problems that exist in this country.""Daughters of Zion believes 'to embrace a child is to empower a nation.' This organization is doing just that with the support programs they offer orphans, vulnerable children and widows. They currently support 250 orphan children monthly with the "Bare Necessities" this being food, clothing, shelter, medical care( many of the orphans are HIV positive) and access to quality education. They have recently opened a Remedial Learning Center for orphaned and impoverished children who are unable to attend public school because they can't pay the school fees, can't purchase the supplies, books or uniforms or because academically they are too far behind (which is usually the case of "the girl child" since there is great discrimination amongst this gender). Along with opening the Remedial Learning Center, DOZIN has adopted a school in one of the villages that serves 350 children in a 2 room hut using 2 teachers. DOZIN has begun renovation for this school to provide a more conducive learning environment and has begun training more teachers. They also have an empowerment program for women in the village enabling to be self-sufficient, self -respected productive citizens. DOZIN assist the women with their entrepreneurial venues by offering business planning training and providing start-up material and loans. This organization does so much to bring back the dignity, self-respect, HOPE and Courage for the orphaned, vulnerable children and impoverished women in Zambia."
"I consider the director of this organization an "Angel." Many hear and applaud the efforts of the celebrities, but what about the slightly above poor (according to the financial status in the US) reaching out to bring change and improve the lives of others. This woman is phenomenal. She does so much with so little. She's not rich, haven't gotten any federal support but continues to meet here monthly goals. With all that she does with the little she has, I would say this organization is deserving and could greatly benefit from such an award. I know that if this organization was considered for this award that the funds would be used to reach more forgotten.Please consider Daughters of Zion International for this award."
If They Won the $100,000 National Award ...
Daughters of Zion helps children, women and families who are impoverished.
"Our "Safe Haven" Program has recently been launched and $100,000 would help bring into fruition our dreams, desires and hopes. Our orphans currently live in mud clay brick made homes that have no running water, no electricity and are often destroyed in heavy rain seasons. Our mission is to build concrete flats (In the U.S these are inexpensive town homes or row houses) that would withstand the forces of nature common to this Zambia. The orphans currently have to depend on the sun/moon, or candles for light. Water is drawn from the river or from a community pump which sometimes runs dry. Traveling to fetch water is often the "girl child's" job which could be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Many girls are raped and killed as they perform their task to help the family survive. The new homes we build would have electricity and adequate plumbing, and the most wanted by all the families … AN INDOOR BATHROOM!"
"Also in our "Safe Haven" program we urgently NEED to build two transitional homes for the young orphans girls that we rescue from the dangerous streets of Zambia. There are so many girls left to care for themselves and their siblings due to separation from parent rather death or other circumstances. These girls are in great danger of severe abuse which includes sexual, emotional, and physical. Girls as young as 9 years old are forced to become maids, field hands and even prostitutes in exchange for food and unsafe shelter."
"Our "Safe Haven" transitional homes would put an end to the devastation suffered by many orphan girls. The transitional homes will service up to 10 girls and have 2 live-in "mothers" who will provide the tender loving care these girls need. There will be weekly routine visits from a license nurse and a Social Service Counselor. The Nurse will come to treat the girls infected with HIV/AIDS and other diseases contracted from the streets and the Social Service Counselor will help to ensure the safety of the girls and to perform psychological assessments to determine the girls' progress after the transition."
"Our goal is to empower these girls to fulfill their God-Ordained purpose in life. We will provide all the necessary supplies/uniforms for the girls to attend school and skills training that will lead to great success and entrepreneur opportunities."
"Daughters of Zion also reach out to single parents in distress through our "All Hands on Deck" initiative. Winning the $100,000 award would enable us to help more parents provide the bare necessities for their children. In Zambia children of single parent homes are just as orphans, neglected. They are deprived of the opportunity to education because the parent can't afford school fees and uniforms. Food is scarce and unhealthy leading to medical problems such as malnutrition and rickets. Our "All Hands on Deck" initiative employs the parent to help Daughters of Zion on several tasks in exchange for a monthly "Necessities" basket and the opportunity for each child to attend school all expenses paid. This basket includes food, toiletries, house cleaning supplies, personal hygiene supplies and more."
"Daughters of Zion's missions take place in the rural areas or what we consider "the forgotten zone." The spread of disease in rapid being that there is no medical facilities and no transportation to transport the sick and dying in town to the hospital. The $100,000 award would allow us to purchase a bus to transport the sickly to and from the hospital and to routine medical appointments."
"As you see, winning the $100,000 award would do more than enable us to accomplish a few goals but would help us to impact the lives of many, EMPOWERING them to accomplish dreams and desires that they set for themselves and their families. With this award LIFE WOULD CONTINUE! "
"Please choose DAUGHTERS OF ZION INTERNATIONAL as the recipient of the ReZoom - Build a Better World $100,000 award and read about the difference we've made for years to come."
Mission Statement
Our Mission is to ensure that a high standard of care in a positive and life changing environment is made available by carefully screening those responsible for the well being of the children we support.