Our Vision & Values
In Zulu, "Zimele" means "to stand on one's own two feet" and the vision is that the people of South Africa and eventually all of Africa can stand on their own two feet. Since our founding in 2006, Zimele has empowered over 1,200 women with the skills, resources, and support networks to build a brighter future for their families and communities. In 2011, we're serving 700 women in three communities - Swayimane, Winterton, and Mtubatuba - and by 2014, we'll be expanding into two new communities to serve a total of 1,200 women per year.
Our VISION:
To confront the root causes of poverty and remove the barriers to self-sufficiency by working with one woman and one community at a time until we reach all of South Africa.
Our MISSION:
To empower women with the skills, resources, and support networks to start businesses and social service projects to sustain themselves, their families, and their communities.
Our VALUES:
| Hope | Improving lives through our thoughtful and effective mentoring programs |
| Healing | Empowering a life for tomorrow, not just sustaining a life for today |
| Empowerment | Caring for those ravaged by HIV/AIDS, violence, and abject poverty through mental and wellness programs |
| Justice | Fair and righteous treatment of women and children |
| Community | Life challenges can only be solved collectively, not individually |
| Accountability | Individuals and communities are ultimately responsible for their own success |
