Serving as the humanitarian arm of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Wellspring International was established in 2004 with the intention to find and financially equip existing organizations that empower women and at-risk children around the world.
Through an extensive application process that includes a site visit and contractual agreement, Wellspring continues to identify and adopt projects globally that successfully rescue, rehabilitate and restore individuals and families from lives of poverty, destruction and hopelessness.
“It’s very much the heart of my father,” says Wellspring’s director, Naomi Zacharias. “In his travels, he has come across so many people around the world in need. … Rather than start our own on-the-ground organization in various places, we thought we could serve best as a bridge.”
Currently supporting organizations in 10 countries, Wellspring distributes 100 percent of its donations to projects that have been vetted, regularly visited and audited. Patrons have the choice of funding a range of projects that includes providing trauma treatment for bride burn victims in India, feeding Iraqi refugees in Jordan and rescuing prostitutes in Amsterdam.
Zacharias says God has called each of His children to give and help in unique ways. “We wanted to give [people] an opportunity to respond to whatever God has placed on their hearts,” she says.
Wellspring also provides individual scholarships to meet the basic living, health and educational needs of women and children in order to help them become self-sufficient. “With human abuse, there is no quick recovery,” Zacharias says. “Our goal is to stay in it for the journey toward healing.” —Sarah Breed
