Elias Fund

The Elias Fund is a nonprofit organization funding community development and education for Zimbabwean youth.

Overview

The Elias Fund began with a simple purpose - help one man raise his children. Today EF empowers Zimbabwean communities to build a promising future for their children through poverty alleviation. As a grassroots organization, the Elias Fund focuses on indigenous empowerment to alleviate poverty from the bottom-up.

Mission statement

The Elias Fund's mission statement is: "Spreading hope and opportunity in Zimbabwe through indigenous empowerment, and engaging the current youth culture of the United States by encouraging a positive identity centered on social justice."

History

In 1994, Elias Sithole, a gardener in Zimbabwe, met American songwriter Chad Urmston. Elias shared his dream of one day helping his three sons with a university education. This dream was put to song and became a popular piece with Urmston's band Dispatch. After the band broke up in 2004, brothers Eric and Scott Byington were approached to fundraise for a small initiative to sponsor Elias’ sons’ education.