"You do not even know us, but you support us, and we know it is by the grace of God."
One of the most meaningful visits during our team's time in Liberia was an opportunity to spend time with the Freedom Empowerment Group, one of two Zoe Empowers groups currently being sponsored by our church.
Established in July 2024, the Freedom Group includes 26 young heads of household who are caring for 58 siblings. Together, these 84 young people and children are building a path toward a more secure future.
As our team learned more about their journey, it became clear that this is about much more than starting businesses. It is about growing in faith, developing leadership, building relationships, supporting one another, and discovering what is possible when a community works together.
Growing together
The Freedom Group meets every Thursday morning before members head off to work in their businesses. They have developed a strong system of mutual support by organizing themselves into smaller groups, called pods. When someone misses a meeting, members of their pod check in to make sure everything is okay.
Their journey has included leadership development, health and hygiene education, agricultural and business training, and vocational skills. Members received start-up grants and business plans to help launch their own enterprises, along with tools and seeds for agricultural work.
They have also support one another financially. Through a traditional savings practice called a susu, members pool their money to help one person grow a business at a time. They maintain a group farm growing cassava and sweet potatoes and offer microloans that are repaid into the group's account so the resources can continue helping others.
Beyond building businesses, the group has learned about children's rights, participated in community awareness events, and visited other Zoe groups to share successes and challenges.
Stories of hope and determination
During the visit, the team heard powerful testimonies from members about how their lives are changing.
One young woman, Joyce, lost her last surviving parent during the Ebola crisis in 2014 and found herself having to be both mother and father to her siblings. After being evicted from their home, she sold cool water to survive. Through Zoe Empowers, she developed a dream chart, received a business grant, and joined a susu. Today, she has a place to live, runs her own business, and has her siblings back in school.
Her dream is to become a successful businesswoman. She expressed her gratitude to Edenton Street and asked that we continue praying for the ability to help other children.
Another member, Gabriel, lost his last parent during the COVID pandemic. He and his siblings worked on the Firestone farms, earning just enough to buy food. Through the Zoe program, Gabriel chose agriculture as his path. He has since sent his siblings to school and purchased a grinding mill to produce flour. He said, “Thank you, Edenton Street!”
These are just two stories that reflect the determination of these young people who are not only working to change their own circumstances but are also creating better opportunities for the brothers and sisters who depend on them.
A joyful celebration
One of the most moving moments of the visit came when the group sang for our team:
"God, I am grateful. See how far you have brought us by your grace. See what you have done for us."
They also shared words that our team will not soon forget:
"You do not even know us, but you support us, and we know it is by the grace of God."
The visit ended with dancing and celebration of the group's harvest—a joyful expression of gratitude for how far they have come and hope for what lies ahead.
A partnership that makes a difference
The visit was a powerful reminder that this partnership is about more than financial support. It is about walking alongside young people as they discover their gifts, develop their leadership, grow in their faith, and create opportunities for themselves and their families—resulting in a ripple effect of good in their community.
We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Freedom Group and for everyone at Edenton Street who makes this work possible through prayer, generosity, and support!
May we continue to hold these young people in prayer as they deepen their faith, grow their businesses, strengthen their families, and build hopeful futures together.