“I’ve always felt my purpose is to be a connector — between people who want to serve, and those across the world who need help.” — Lindsay Bowen, Founder, ROAM Humanitarian
A Movement Born from Connection
When the world shut its doors in 2020, Lindsay Bowen seized the opportunity to open a different kind of door—one that reached out across borders and cultures.
From her home in the mountains of Heber Valley, Lindsay founded ROAM Humanitarian, a nonprofit that combines service, cultural immersion, and adventure into a life-changing experience for both giver and receiver.
“I wanted to create something that didn’t just build projects,” Lindsay said. “I wanted to build people.”
Since its founding, ROAM Humanitarian has led 34 expeditions in 10 countries, carrying out projects that have improved the lives of nearly 65,000 people. Each journey combines sustainable humanitarian work with local partnerships, creating change that lasts long after volunteers return home.
The ROAM Experience
Every nine-day expedition invites participants—affectionately called Roamers—to travel deeper. Whether it’s teaching in a village classroom, repairing wells, or providing small-business grants to women, every moment is designed to connect hearts and cultures.
“We’re not there to pat ourselves on the back,” Lindsay explained. “We’re there to help people help themselves.”
Families, students, and corporate teams travel together, working, digging, building, laughing, and often crying side-by-side. Many participants describe it as the most meaningful trip of their lives—a rare combination of purpose and adventure that changes the way they see the world.
Tanzania: The Beating Heart of ROAM
Of all the destinations, Tanzania holds a special place in Lindsay’s heart. In the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, ROAM has developed deep relationships with local leaders and communities.
“When we first came to Tanzania, we were invited into villages where people had never seen outsiders before,” Lindsay recalled. “We started small—building chicken coops, repairing wells—but we quickly realized the challenges women and girls were facing.”
In rural areas, child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) remain common cultural practices, despite being outlawed. “It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “These girls are 12 or 13, married to men in their fifties. Their parents receive a dowry, and the girls lose their futures.”
In response, ROAM began construction on a Women’s Center, a safe haven for women and girls escaping abuse and forced marriage. The center will provide housing, education, business training, and medical care, giving them the tools to build new lives.
“If they choose a new life, we give them the skills to build it,” Lindsay said.
“It’s the first time anyone has believed in them.”
Adjacent to the center, Lindsay and her husband, Justin, are building a ‘training’ hotel, where women can work in hospitality, cooking, and tourism—Tanzania’s leading industries. Graduates of the program will leave with employment, confidence, and hope.
A Story of Loss and Purpose
Not all stories have happy endings, but they fuel ROAM’s resolve. One woman, Cindy Dottie, tried to protect her 11-year-old daughter by hiding her from an FGM ceremony. When discovered, her husband beat both mother and child, throwing Cindy into a fire. She later died from her injuries, leaving three children behind.
“That’s what happens when we don’t get there in time,” Lindsay said quietly. “That’s why this center matters. If she’d had somewhere to go, she would still be alive.”
Despite the heartbreak, Lindsay chooses hope. “I’ve seen women go from hopelessness to joy,” she said. “Their eyes change—they have light again. That’s what keeps me going.”
Fast Facts
Founded: 2020 by Lindsay & Justin Bowen
Headquarters:
Heber, Utah
Countries Served: Peru, Tanzania, Bali, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Cambodia, Nepal
2024 Impact:
- 12 expeditions
- 95 projects completed
- 389 volunteers (“Roamers”)
- 17,036 lives touched
Mission: To create meaningful, sustainable change through service and cultural connection — empowering communities to thrive long after volunteers return home.
Sustainable Projects That Last
- Women’s Empowerment & Business Grants
- Clean Water Initiatives and Wells
- Chicken Coop and Livestock Projects
- Classroom & Home Construction
- Health Education and Menstruation Kits
- Vision Screenings and Eye Care
- Anyorr Handmade Jewelry Collective for Single Mothers
Partnerships That Make a Difference
ROAM’s success depends on local partners who know the people they serve and see first-hand the needs in their community. Like Benja and Happiness, siblings who work full-time in Tanzania, identifying needs and coordinating logistics.
“Humanitarian work is all about relationships and trust,” Lindsay said. “It’s not us telling them what they need—it’s us listening.”
Together, they’ve built homes for orphans, brought clean water to villages by repairing and drilling wells, distributed water filters, and provided sewing machines and education grants that empower self-reliance.
“I tell my team in Africa,” Lindsay shared, “I’ll work tirelessly here to find the funding, and you work tirelessly there to find the people. Together, we’re unstoppable.”
From Charity to Sustainability
ROAM’s model focuses on empowerment, not dependency. From chicken coop businesses that feed children and generate income to the Anyorr Handmade Jewelry Collective (Anyorr means love in Masai)—where 26 single mothers create handmade pieces sold in the U.S., most recently at Swiss Days in Midway. Every project gives ownership and dignity.
“We’re not saviors—we’re equals,” Lindsay emphasized. “We teach, we invest, and then we stand back and watch them soar.”
The outcomes are striking. Orphanages previously dependent on donations now generate sufficient income to provide children with three nutritious meals a day and fund their education. Women who once had no resources now run thriving micro-businesses.
Why People Keep Coming Back
Many who travel with ROAM return again and again. “Once someone goes on a trip, they’re hooked,” Lindsay said with a smile. “They see life differently. They realize what really matters.”
Participants come from all over the U.S., but a surprising number (nearly a third) are from Heber Valley. “We have so many locals who love Tanzania,” she said. “They go once and then bring their friends or their kids. It becomes a family tradition of service.”
The trips vary from youth expeditions and women’s retreats to corporate and family journeys, but the impact is universal.
“It’s the happiest and saddest I’ve ever been,” Lindsay said. “It changes you.”
“We teach, we invest, and then we stand back and watch them soar.”
A Call to ROAM
As Lindsay reflected on the years since that first journey, her voice softened. “This work is beautiful and brutal,” she said. “But I know too much now to ever stop.”
Through tears and triumphs, ROAM Humanitarian continues to build something extraordinary—not just homes and schools, but hope itself.
“When you change a woman,” Lindsay said, “you change the world.”
Learn more: roamhumanitarian.org
How You Can Help Join the Movement
Travel with ROAM on a nine-day humanitarian expedition and experience firsthand how service can transform lives—including your own.
Donate
If travel isn’t possible, your contribution can still change a life. Every dollar goes directly to projects that create lasting impact such as:
- ROAM Education Center & Orphanage | Tanzania
- Women’s Center Construction | Nepal
- Boys’ Orphanage Dormitories | Tanzania
- Library and Kindergarten School Construction | Fiji
- Battered Women’s Shelter Renovation | Brazil
- Garbage Dump Community Projects | Bali
- Well-Drilling | Tanzania
- Trafficked Children Awareness Projects | Nepal
- Elderly Connection and Projects | Tanzania and Brazil
- Vision screenings, eyeglass distribution, cataract surgeries | Worldwide
- Menstruation Classes with reusable menstruation products | Worldwide
- Orphanage Repairs and Renovations | Worldwide
