I feel very lucky in life. For three years I was afforded the privilege of living in a number of small villages in Eastern, Northern and Central Zambia. My observations from that time may mirror what you have heard from others who have lived or traveled abroad in poor places…..how the people are incredibly nice and giving, the strong sense of community, and the heartbreak at witnessing so many with great potential brought down by so few resources.

Through the lens of village living however, there is an elevated level of insight gained as you also experience intense frustration at the sometimes dishonest, slow-paced, and ineffective efforts towards development. I gradually recognized my own good and bad attitudes and habits reflected in those that I worked with and began to understand at a deeper level how strongly human development is connected to character rather than simply material inputs. Whether you make 50 cents a day or $500, we all share the same need to grow as a person in skill and capacity in order to fully utilize the opportunities around us. It is in this spirit of honoring character growth, accountability and potential that I have founded Color Me In.

My goal is to help others take on more responsibility for the changes that they envision in their lives. We work in Zambia because that is the country where we are most experienced. We work through loans in order to facilitate experience with credit and create continual financial resources to feed back into our programs. We engage in tree planting activities and maintain a commitment to the environment because the sustainable use of our natural resources is a fundamental responsibility and is intimately connected to our own potential for growth over the long term. 

This page is not about me and the rest of my story, but rather to help you understand the WHY of what we are doing. I became personally inspired to remain involved with Zambia and attempt to pave an effective road for addressing some of the root causes of poverty. I invite you to find your own reasons for getting involved, find something you that are passionate about, and begin to make a change. 

With care and compassion, 

Sarah Grant