ZAP’s complementary goal is to communicate with Americans about Zimbabwe’s history and culture, as well as about the artists’ lives.  In the United States, we help our communities to see common humanity across boundaries of culture and privilege. We encourage our friends and customers to recognize ways in which we can use our own privilege to enhance the dignity and self-respect of others, including the artists of Weya.

Zimbabwe Artists Project strives for a genuine partnership with the women of Weya.  We believe that traditional donor-recipient relationships often foster self-satisfaction on one hand and dependency on the other. This can be damaging to both sides, deepening existing inequalities. Our approach is based on the belief that self-respect comes through people’s own accomplishments.  Our goal is to foster self-respect and self-reliance through collaborative projects.