We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katy Griffin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Katy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

An Unexpected Beginning In 2013 Dr’s Mick and Elaine Lebens and their children Ryan, Jessa, and Nathan take a missions trip to Arua, Uganda. All of them are astounded by the poverty they see and the resilience of Pastor JP, a local pastor who has served the community for years. Upon returning home, the three Lebens children take the initiative to establish a non-profit.
The small-town church Templeton Presbyterian catches the enthusiasm of the Lebens family. In a single Christmas offering, the congregation of fewer than 250 people donates over $40,000 for the first four-classroom wing. It’s a miracle, and it’s just what Zozu needs to get going.
In 2015 Solid Rock Christian School, led by Pastor JP and all-Ugandan staff, opened its doors to 200 students. For almost all of the children, this is their first time in a classroom– and some of them are as old as 9!

Katy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

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 lot, the cycle of poverty is truly broken. As much as we can, we work holistically to serve the children and their families relationally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. ​
Secondly, we prefer 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. We aim 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. After all, “a true non-profit is the only company that actively works to put itself out of business.”
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Finally, we believe there are no quick or easy fixes, and we are committed to treating more than just extreme poverty symptoms. Researching evidence-based strategies and learning from those we serve and outside advice is necessary to be faithful to our mission. Our methods are always organically adapting to the community’s needs and the doors that open for us to meet them.

Our child sponsorship program supports over 600 of the poorest children in the community who attend Solid Rock Christian School in Arua, Uganda. Education, especially in English, opens doors for these children to build their careers through determination and hard work. Education empowers the child to break the cycle of poverty in their family.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Our best source of new sponsors and donors has been word of mouth through current donors and sponsors and their relationships with the children. They are touched when they receive a letter and photos of their sponsor children and are encouraged to have a relationship with them. Being a grassroots non-profit with a single focus, we can create unique relationships with the sponsor and their sponsor child. Often we hear this is unlike any other sponsorship program they have been a part of.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media has been a great way to communicate with our sponsors and donors. The key for us has been consistently timing our posts; that way, our sponsors and donors know when to expect to hear from us. I would highly recommend Canva, an excellent template for those starting.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zozuproject.org
• Instagram: zozuproject
• Facebook: Zozu Project
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-griffin-6b436841/
• Youtube: Zozu Project

Image Credits
Katy Griffin