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

Overview

The Elias Fund is a grassroots oriented 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the youth of Zimbabwe. It was inspired by the American band Dispatch and was founded in mid-2005 by a group of young adults.
The idea of Elias Fund began when Dispatch's Chad Urmston, now with State Radio, spent time in Zimbabwe in 1994. While there, he befriended a gardener named Elias who later became the inspiration and namesake to one of Dispatch's most popular songs. Elias dreamed his sons Honest and Manuel would one day have the opportunity to gain a higher education. His dream was the cornerstone behind the creation of the Elias Fund, which has since expanded to include helping people in Zimbabwe. The Elias Fund has its Zimbabwean base in Chiredzi.

Mission statement

The Elias Fund's mission statement is: "To provide hope and opportunity to Zimbabwean youth through community development and education while empowering the American youth culture to embrace their global role and make it an active one."

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded per semester after an in depth interview process. Elias's son Manuel was presented with the first Elias Fund Scholarship.

Chiredzi

A community of about 70 families (300 individuals) whose parents or guardians are blind due to untreated disease or other circumstances currently live in Chiredzi. The Elias Fund partnered with a Chiredzi resident to provide food for these families, and an education for the children of the community.