OUR STANCE ON ORPHAN CARE //

ZLT believes strongly in providing orphaned and abandoned children with quality care in a loving home environment. After working and volunteering in the orphan care community since 2010, our founder Jacqueline Villeneuve wanted to create a unique model for the care and support of orphaned children. ZLT was founded because we believe that orphaned children deserve quality education and healthcare in a supportive family environment.

ZLT Hope Homes provides long term care solutions by supporting our children from two-years-old until graduation from a post-secondary institution. Following the child’s post-secondary graduation he or she will be supported for one year financially while we assist with CV revisions and assisting with job placements. Additionally our children with living relatives who could be capable of caring for them are provided with mentorship, parenting and nutritional coaching classes, and assistance for the educational needs of the child. To date 3 of our children have been reunited with living relatives.

Unfortunately, many orphanages around the world are incredibly corrupt. Thousands of dollars in donations pour in but limited funds get to the children. Many homes are started in an effort to line the founder’s pockets, rather than supporting some of the worlds most vulnerable children. In some cases the government officials placed in charge of protecting orphaned children’s rights accept bribes and allow corrupt homes to continue their operations.

Before opening our doors in 2013 we witnessed horrendous cases of human rights violations, abuse, and bribery within the orphan care community in Kenya. We saw children living in fear and feeling completely trapped in their situations. While many organizations believe in community based care for orphaned children this is not a realistic solution for every child. Many children residing in slums within Nairobi do not have the opportunity to live with surviving family members upon their parents passing. Drug abuse, alcohol addiction, abandonment, and abuse are the most common factors as to why most orphaned children cannot reside with living relatives in these areas.

ZLT provides a home to orphaned children from the slums of Nairobi. We follow a family-based care model which is maintained by having a maximum of 30 children under our care at all times (or less), hiring compassionate and dedicated mamas to care for our children, and ensuring our children live in an environment where they can thrive — not only survive. We believe the success of an organization working in child protection is measured in the quality care and love you provide, not the number of children you assist with basic care. Quality over quantity.