Our Story

Hands of Hope Focuses on Improving the Lives of African Women and Children

Each and every day, millions of African women and children struggle to find enough food to stave off malnutrition, enough water to survive, and medical services necessary to sustain minimal health.   Faced with limited educational and vocational opportunities, they long for lives of health, prosperity, and security for their families, their communities, and their nation, desires that are important to us all.  

A Few Women with a Heart to See Change

Hands of Hope is a community of women helping women and children in crisis in Africa.   In the late 1990’s Vicky Wauterlek founded the organization believing “if women in our local communities hear about how women and children in Africa are suffering, they will respond and want to do something about it.”  Today that something is a highly motivated group of Chicago area women who are transforming their grassroots efforts into sustainable systems that alleviate poverty in rural areas of Africa, with a current focus on the Western Province of Zambia.  

 

Hands of Hope addresses the cycle of poverty by building trust and and authentic relationships with local people living in the areas where we work, listening carefully to them, caring for them, encouraging them, and working alongside of them to empower them to change their lives.  Together, we envision, create, manage and sustain projects that provide access to clean water, educational opportunities, improved healthcare, and training resources that increase agricultural production and economic development.  These integrated efforts have proven to ignite hope, restore dignity, and energize communities to join together for a better tomorrow.

Make a Difference

Your donations are greatly appreciated!

Hands of Hope is a 100%-volunteer, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Your donation is sure to make an impact.