Zoe Empowers 
The information on this page was last updated 1/27/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
380 million children are trapped in the cycle of poverty. Empowering all areas of life is the only way out.
Orphaned and vulnerable children living in extreme poverty are abused, sick and isolated from their community. Handouts and begging helps them to survive temporarily. Our solution addresses all their challenges, across eight areas of life, equipping them to overcome poverty with their own efforts-and for good.
Guided by the core belief of not doing anything for these young people that they can be taught to do for themselves, we equip orphaned and vulnerable children to overcome extreme poverty by addressing multiple barriers simultaneously.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Zoe Empowers
PO Box 28839
Raleigh, NC 27611
Website: zoeempowers.org
Phone: 919-779-7272
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 454671349
CEO/President: Gaston Warner
Chairman: Randy Wiersma
Board size: 13
Founder:
Ruling year: 2013
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
We envision a world where all orphaned and vulnerable children are given the opportunity to reach their full potential becoming secure, healthy, connected community members who are able to care for themselves and their siblings.
Mission statement
After graduating from ZOE's three-year empowerment program, a child will have moved from extreme poverty to sustainable self-sufficiency; able to provide food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, and social support for themselves and their siblings; know God's love, and have hope for the future in their own community.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
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Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Foreign Missions
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 539 of 1435 | 35 of 126 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 674 of 1435 | 61 of 126 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 232 of 1435 | 19 of 126 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 979 of 1436 | 69 of 126 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 6% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 99% | 98% | 99% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 85% | 92% | 92% | 89% | 89% | 88% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 112% | 96% | 91% | 90% | 84% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 83% | 102% | 88% | 81% | 80% | 74% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -12% | 4% | 9% | 10% | 16% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 3% | -11% | 4% | 7% | 8% | 13% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.59 | 1.11 | 0.91 | 0.75 | 0.69 | 0.66 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.14 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.09 | 1.09 | 1.09 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.42 | 1.11 | 0.91 | 0.81 | 0.75 | 0.72 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 22.36 | 660.13 | 681.74 | 186.80 | 376.25 | 274.10 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.03 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.85 | 10.81 | 13.21 | 14.66 | 15.94 | 16.67 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 57% | 90% | 110% | 134% | 144% | 151% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $1,385,285 | $3,959,200 | $3,948,640 | $3,248,337 | $2,935,107 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $6,187,148 | $4,597,345 | $4,274,775 | $4,290,498 | $4,096,500 |
| Short-term investments | $992,153 | $873,334 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $8,564,586 | $9,429,879 | $8,223,415 | $7,538,835 | $7,031,607 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $762,112 | $648,505 | $617,072 |
| Fixed assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $762,112 | $648,505 | $617,072 |
| Total assets | $8,564,586 | $9,429,879 | $8,985,527 | $8,187,340 | $7,648,679 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $12,974 | $13,832 | $44,023 | $20,037 | $25,653 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $12,974 | $13,832 | $44,023 | $20,037 | $25,653 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $12,974 | $13,832 | $44,023 | $20,037 | $25,653 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $3,338,876 | $3,583,468 | $4,224,780 | $2,036,814 | $1,890,959 |
| With donor restrictions | $5,212,736 | $5,832,579 | $4,716,724 | $6,130,489 | $5,732,067 |
| Net assets | $8,551,612 | $9,416,047 | $8,941,504 | $8,167,303 | $7,623,026 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $8,439,593 | $8,769,131 | $7,255,296 | $6,311,602 | $6,006,434 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $72,189 | $124,807 | $100,328 | $12,218 | $6,780 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $19,784 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $72,189 | $144,591 | $100,328 | $12,218 | $6,780 |
| Total revenue | $8,511,782 | $8,913,722 | $7,355,624 | $6,323,820 | $6,013,214 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $8,716,257 | $7,844,797 | $5,978,134 | $5,064,499 | $4,440,260 |
| Management and general | $345,188 | $243,274 | $283,644 | $246,270 | $230,921 |
| Fundraising | $433,590 | $462,330 | $433,251 | $350,207 | $372,659 |
| Total expenses | $9,495,035 | $8,550,401 | $6,695,029 | $5,660,976 | $5,043,840 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($983,253) | $363,321 | $660,595 | $662,844 | $969,374 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($983,253) | $363,321 | $660,595 | $662,844 | $969,374 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Gaston Warner | CEO | $122,500 |
| Wendy Lee | Chief Development Officer | $102,500 |
| Laura Nemecek | Chief Monitoring & Evaluation Officer | $79,928 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 1/27/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Zoe Empowers began in 2004, as a response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe. Initially, our work consisted of feeding programs, medical services, and other relief activities for orphaned children through schools and churches.
In 2007, Zoe was introduced to a radically new way of empowering orphaned children and youth led families to become self-sufficient. This approach was designed by Epiphanie Mujawimana with a group of Rwandan social workers responding to the 800,000 orphaned children created over 100 days during the 1994 genocide. Epiphanie and her colleagues had grown frustrated with the endless cycles of relief and dependency upon that relief. Instead of asking "what can we do to help these vulnerable children?" Epiphanie and her team asked, "What would these young people need in order to help themselves?" And with that question in mind they designed a three-year, community-based, indigeneous led empowerment program, where the participants take the lead in their own journey out of poverty. And it worked beyond belief!
Seeing the effectiveness of Epiphanie's program, Zoe transitioned out of relief work, and supported Epiphanie in bringing this approach to Kenya in addition to Rwanda, and then to Zimbabwe.
Since 2007, Zoe Empowers has translated the empowerment model across cultures and contexts, impacting more than 150,000 vulnerable children, across eight countries: Kenya, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Liberia, Tanzania, Mozambique, and India. Each program within the Zoe network is locally-owned and operated, with support from a nimble U.S.-based team.
Program accomplishments
To date, Zoe Empowers has expanded to 7 countries - Kenya, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Rwanda, Liberia, Tanzania, and India-and has helped more than 100,000 vulnerable children overcome extreme poverty to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency across eight areas of life. The three year empowerment program requires less than $290 per child or only $8 per month, making it 5-20 times more economically efficient than traditional short-term relief efforts.
Needs
Because we only provide resources, not handouts, every donation is leveraged by these young people to meet their own needs across eight areas of life. Our program is economically efficient, allowing our donors to maximize their impact in partnership with one trusted organization. $8 per month empowers one child out of poverty.