Philanthropy

Burkina Faso 2024

Ensuring Reliable Water for Six Communities

LOCATION: Burkina Faso, West Africa

Beneficiaries: 1,456 and their families

Funding Provided: £47,580 - Funded October 2024

"There is only one pump in the village for all the needs of both humans and animals. Women, men, and children spend extremely long hours fetching water, which affects other priorities." -Wendpanga, father of eight-year-old Fabrice, who is registered at the Tissilin's Children Development Centre in Burkina Faso.

Burkina Faso has one of the lowest rates of access to drinking water in the world. Communities throughout the Centre-East and Western regions of Burkina Faso face regular water shortages. People often go days without access to water in the taps. Despite abundant rainfall, electricity is intermittent, causing water pumps to fail, leaving children without safe water to drink or wash their hands. Without good hygiene habits, many children are suffering from waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea, typhoid, and
dysentery.

This intervention will create a reliable and safe water supply by building six water storage systems, increasing water storage capacity across six child development centres.

By installing modern water storage systems connected to the national water grid and building handwashing stations, this intervention will ensure a reliable and affordable supply of safe water. Additionally, hygiene training will promote healthy practices among children, contributing to a healthier environment and improved quality of life. The water storage systems will be connected to the national water grid, ensuring long-term sustainability.

When Fabrice's Compassion centre built a solar-powered borehole, they created a green garden in a dry and dusty land. Now Fabrice and his friends are bravely facing the global food crisis with hope. "I am thrilled and grateful for the practical solutions the centre is providing to transform our lives. I pray that Fabrice will grow up with new capabilities and expertise to change the world," says Wendpanga, joyfully. 

Birmingham UK 2024

Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity

CHANGEMAKERS Programme

LOCATION: Birmingham

Funding Provided: June 2024: £7,500

In June 2024 we partnered with Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity and became one of the Members of their Change makers programme.

The following text is from their website and we are privilged to be able to join them as they care for children and young people from the UK and beyond.

We believe every patient deserves a childhood, which is why we always strive to do more for sick kids. 

Our hospital is a leading, specialist paediatric centre, delivering some of the most advanced treatments, complex surgical procedures and cutting-edge research to over 100,000 children and young people from across the UK and beyond. 

Every patient and family benefits from our charity, but the impact of fundraising is much more than purely financial. It makes a real difference to the spaces, treatment and equipment we provide to children and their families. 

We are nothing without our supporters.  

It’s only thanks to your kindness and generosity we are able to do more for our sick kids. 

Charitable donations allow our hospital to be at the forefront of what’s possible, ensuring our patients and families benefit from the best care, treatment, experience and environments. 

Ghana 2023

IMPROVING HYGIENE CHANGES LIVES

LOCATION: Ghana, West Africa

Beneficiaries: 1,129

Funding Provided: £56,948 - Funded August 2023

“The water from the stream was always dark-looking. It didn’t taste nice either. The water from the borehole is very clear; you can see through it. It tastes good too!”

These are the words of Larry, a Compassion participant who benefited from a water, sanitation and hygiene intervention in Ghana in2022.

Compassion Ghana is supporting over 90,000 children living in extreme poverty through over 360 child development centres. In southern Ghana, there are two communities that have been highlighted as places in critical need of new water sources. In Asabi, there are children waking up at 4a.m. to collect water on foot before going to school. For those in the Adamrobe community, the situation is no less worrying.

Another community where Compassion serves in southern Ghana is in Gyakiti. With a population of 5,000 people, the whole community has just one toilet. This one available toilet is not on the centre’s premises, meaning open defecation has become a common practice among the participants. The Chosen Child Development Centre in Ekumfi Narkwa, which supports 300children,has one dilapidated, unsafe toilet to share.

This intervention will equip two child development centres to build water boreholes in the Asabi and Adamrobe communities and toilet blocks in the Gyakiti and Ekumfi Narkwa communities. This will assist in delivering quality support to 1,129 children living in extreme poverty.

Centre staff will also put together sanitation and hygiene training for the children, ensuring they are aware of the importance of handwashing. Two new toilet blocks and two water boreholes in these four communities will ensure children are well equipped to practice good hygiene habits.

This will prevent children from being held back from their education because of water collection trips and regular illness. Instead, they will get to class on time and continue preparing for their future goals.

Together, we will support vulnerable children with good sanitation that will significantly improve their health and quality of life.

Kenya 2022

FOOD SECURITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE

LOCATION: Kenya

Beneficiaries: 13,533 households

Funding Provided: £81,000 - Funded July 2022

Right now, all over Kenya, people are anxiously awaiting the rains. If they don't come, this will be the fourth consecutive season of a failed rainy season.'

Drought has left half a million Kenyans facing emergency levels of hunger and 3.1 million acutely food insecure.' Many open water sources including rivers, water pans, and dams have dried up. Over a million livestock have died in the drought. In addition to poor harvests, food insecurity has been exacerbated by rising fuel, fertiliser and imported food prices cause by the war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine are two of the top three countries responsible for wheat imports to Africa. ii Russia alone exports more than $3.5 billion of wheat and mesIin to Africa every year.ii Fertiliser, needed for a successful harvest, has become unaffordable for many. Key fertiliser ingredients such as ammonia and urea have increased in cost by 220% and 148% respectively.iii As is often the case, the poorest are likely to be the hardest hit.

Compassion Kenya have reported 13,533 households with children in the Compassion programme in arid or semi-arid areas who need immediate food assistance. Most of them cannot afford one meal a day at the moment.

Compassion centres are situated within many local communities, putting them in the best position to provide quick, life-saving support. This intervention will provide two months' worth of food for 13,533 households, plus cash transfers for basic needs (such as soap and rent). This will ensure families can receive immediate relief, during emergency levels of hunger. Although Compassion primarily delivers long-term child-development, without food children cannot concentrate, they cannot learn or function. We must prevent hunger and malnutrition among vulnerable children as soon as possible. These food packages will be delivered to save lives and show compassion to families living in extreme poverty.

£50,000 will provide meals for 954 households for two months

Funding provided: £81,000

Bukina Faso 2021

TRANSFORMING FOUR COMMUNITIES WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Location: Four child development centres, Mouhoon Loop, Burkina Faso

Diarrhoea, typhoid, stomach aches, internal worms and skin infections. These illnesses are causing discomfort and a poor quality of life for children supported by Compassion in the Mouhoon Loop region, Burkina Faso. These illnesses are caused by drinking dirty, contaminated water.

Extreme heat, worsened by climate change over time, causes early evaporation of surface water bodies in the Mouhoon Loop region. A lack of investment means that the only water boreholes near the Compassion centres are far away and breakdown regularly.

Four communities supported by Compassion child development centres are left with no choice but to drink water from exposed wells that dry up. These wells, contaminated by animal waste, cause diarrhoea, among other diseases. Diarrhoea is the most common cause of childhood illness and the second leading killer disease among children worldwide!

Another issue caused by the lack of water, is mealtimes at Compassion centre days. The children who attend are from low income families. When they come to the centre, they are very hungry. Centre staff wait for safe water to be delivered, which delays breakfast to 10am, instead of 8am, and lunch to 2pm, instead of midday. This not only disrupts activities, but children are unable to focus due to hunger.

We have a solution, Compassion Burkina Faso will be empowered to build four solar-powered water boreholes with handwashing basins. A new safe water supply, plus training in good hygiene and sanitation, will significantly improve health and quality of life.

What’s more, the Compassion programme will be far more effective at serving children who are no longer unwell from drinking dirty water or hungrily waiting for meal times.

Your support of this intervention will transform four communities by preventing water-related illness through access to safe water and behavioural change. This will improve life prospects for generations to come.

Commissioned June 2021

Funding: £103,588.79

Rwanda 2020

TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES WITH SANITATION AND SAFE WATER

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

LOCATION 12 child development centres, Nyaruguru, Rawanda

BENEFICIARIES 5,666 Compassion-supported children and their caregivers

Before this intervention, 12 communities 1n the Nyaruguru region shared toilets with their neighbours, as they had no other choice. It's no surprise that this resulted in waterborne diseases spreading throughout families. As diseases spread, intestinal dysfunction, anaemia and malnutrition would deprive families of their quality of life.

As Rick Bragg, an American journalist puts it

"Every life deserves a certain amount of dignity, no matter how poor or damaged the shell that carries it."

Yet in these communities, caregivers had no choice but to wait until night just to get privacy to wash in public. This was due to the shortage of toilets and running water. On top of this, the Chief of the Village would blame these people for their uncleanliness.

That was before. Now, the 228 most-vulnerable families have received safe bathrooms and toilets of their own. These families are now able to shower when it suits them best.

Water tanks installed at three child development centres also enabled children to practice handwashing. To support this, the 12 centres have trained 2,944 children and 5,226 caregivers on good hygiene and sanitation. Through this vital training, 8,170 lives have been transformed and families are enthusiastic to share what they have learnt with their communities. 

Centre staff have observed a reduction of waterborne diseases from 33% to 5% in Nyaruguru. They have also noted that living conditions have significantly improved among children and caregivers due to their new hygiene routines. Staff have recognised a mindset shift in the community, with a new sense of ownership, self­ reliance and discipline.

This intervention has made it possible for these families to wake up, wash and prepare for their day in dignity. Your support has brought much relief, joy and health to these precious families. 

Funding £29,688

Completed 2021

Rwanda 2019

EMPOWERING THE FUTURE GENERATION WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING

RWANDA, CENTRAL AFRICA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Commencement date January 2020

Children born into poverty often lack self-esteem. Without social care, an education and the right skills, their cycle of poverty will continue.

Compassion Rwanda are supporting young people with their welfare and future careers. However, many are struggling to find employment when they finish their vocational courses. With youth unemployment as high as 24% in Rwanda, children from low income families have a slim chance of earning a decent income.

90% of employment in Rwanda comes from agriculture. This makes Rwanda’s agricultural economy vulnerable to changes in soil fertility, climate and global prices in tea and coffee. Despite Rwanda’s resilience to the 1994 genocide, poverty and unemployment means many of Rwanda’s youth are not benefitting from the country’s growing economy.

The Intervention

This intervention will enable ten child development centres in Rwanda will be able to empower 93 young people with entrepreneurship training and career guidance so they become self-sufficient professionals, or proud business owners. To stand out in the competitive job market, young people need to be confident team players with leadership skills. However, children born into poverty often lack self-esteem or vision of a life beyond that of their parents

With engaging entrepreneurship training that is relevant to the current Rwandan market, the young people will be inspired and practically supported for successful long-term businesses or careers. 93 interested students from 10 centres who are currently in vocational training or have recently graduated from a vocational training course will be enrolled onto this intervention.

Together, we can ensure young people, already disadvantaged by their circumstances, are not marginalised from the workplace and Rwanda’s growing economy.

Read the full proposal here

Rwanda 2018

PLANTING SEEDS TO PREVENT MALNUTRTION

RWANDA, CENTRAL AFRICA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Commencement date November 2018

This intervention will see 2,676 beneficiaries provided with the necessary education to help them prevent malnutrition. As well as this, food supplements will be provided to 38 beneficiaries who currently suffer from severe malnutrition. Seeds for vegetable growing and fruit seedlings will be given to 415 families with moderate and severely malnourished children. This will all be done to reach the objective of decreasing the malnutrition rate amongst Compassion-supported children in Nyamagabe from 15.4% to 5%.

This intervention will begin with project mapping in order to group the beneficiaries according to where they live. Each group of beneficiaries will be led by a committee of three people (a coordinator, secretary and the treasurer) who will voluntarily lead the others during the implementation of this intervention. Centre staff will coordinate the activities at centre-level. 137 beneficiaries from benefitting centres will be trained as ‘trainer of trainers (TOTs)’ who will go back and train other beneficiaries in each group.

Training materials and monitoring and evaluation tools will be provided to TOT’s. Through this intervention, 38 beneficiaries currently suffering from severe malnutrition will receive nutrition support for three months. Seeds for vegetable growing and fruit seedlings will be provided to the families of 415 beneficiaries with moderate and severe malnutrition.

It is anticipated that as a result of this intervention, child beneficiaries’ school performance will be increased from 76% to 90%. It is also expected that cases of intestinal parasites and diarrhoea will be decreased from 55% to 20%. A strong network between centre staffs, TOT’s and Compassion Rwanda staff will be built to monitor the implementation of this intervention.

Click here to read the full report

Colombia 2017

SAVING YOUNG LIVES THROUGH CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING

Magdalena, Colombia

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Commencement date June 2017

The department of Magdalena, located on the northern coast of Colombia, is ranked as the fifth most poverty-stricken department in Colombia. Sexual exploitation often occurs in the poorest communities, where violence and abuse are common and where dysfunctional and fragmented families feel powerless to prevent it and have become de-sensitised to its impact. 

The proposed activity is a 12 month training programme which will target 2,538 caregivers and 2,538 children aged 6 and below in the 26 child development centres in Magdalena. Workshops and seminars will be held to disseminate information; children will be taught about self-care and self-esteem among other values, and parents and guardians will be provided with information on the harm and risks of child sexual abuse, as well as education on how to recognise and report cases, and how to prevent them from happening in the future. There will be three phases to this intervention, all of which will take place with the support of the local churches.

Click here to read the full report

Redditch Nightstop 2017

Partnering with Redditch Night Stop

September 2017 - Assistance with relocation costs

"The charity is now celebrating its 20^th year in operation and the nature and extent of the charities work is now very different to that even a few years ago. The charity has out grown its current space and now needs a larger base from which to operate from. Fairway Training are delighted to asist in providing funding to acheive this goal.

The charity is not just about providing emergency and longer term accommodation for young people, but helps to pro-actively address the challenging personal circumstances of young people by providing support and developing skills."

Click here to read the full grant application

November 2018 - Funding for a Volunteer Co-Ordinator 12 month fixed term 

"In order to provide homelessness prevention services to young people, Redditch Nightstop needs a variety of support from different of sections of the local community which includes members of public and private business.

Including:

• Hosts provide accommodation and support
• Business providing financial support and raising awareness
• Trustees to provide governance
• Volunteer driver
• Donors
• Local organisations

Managing and maintaining these relationships is very important for the future of the service alongside the developing and maintaining new public and private sector relationships.

This role will be especially important for the recruitment and support of volunteer hosts, general volunteers (to include mentors and befrienders) and trustees. In addition to with fund raising and community and corporate awareness

We have benefitted from the role of a volunteer co coordinator in the past and are fully aware of the benefits"

Construction of new learning facilities 2016

LIGHTS OF LOVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
EAST JAVA, INDONESIA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Completion date June 2017

The Lights of Love Child Development Centre located in Malang – East Java have been implementing Compassion’s holistic child development programme for the last 22 years. At the project there are three 3 x3 metre classrooms, one dining room, a kitchen and a library. The classrooms are overcrowded and get very hot, noisy and uncomfortable for the children making it difficult to learn and engage effectively.

This project is to construct a new building with five rooms consisting of three classrooms, a computer room and a library. Additionally the rooftop will be used for an aquaponics system (an integrated system of hydroponics and fish farming).

Read the full proposal here

Water Catchment 2016

GROS MANGLES CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
LA GONAVE ISLAND, HAITI

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Visited by Andrew Shirley, May 2016 - Completed 2017

This RESPOND Initiative aims to provide a reliable water source to Gros Mangles CDC for the 296 children and 150 adults who regularly use the project facilities. This will be achieved by building a 40,000 gallon cistern constructed in the project compound.

All Compassion water initiatives include training on sanitation and hygiene, to ensure the initiative is both comprehensive and sustainable. Once the project is complete, project staff will organise training sessions for all the beneficiaries.

Read completion report here

Togo, West Africa 2015

KITCHEN & STOREROOM CONSTRUCTION
TOGO, WEST AFRICA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

TG-133 Centre de Development des Enfants La Grace des AD Vo-Koutim
TG-622 Centre de Development des Enfants KADES Lagbanou
TG-705 Centre de Development La Grace de Masse Kope

Completed June 2016

The health of registered children and their families is one such priority. Although RESPOND Initiatives which provide treatment for existing health conditions are on-going, Compassion has adopted a preventative approach to health. This means that the majority of health-related initiatives are proactive, often involving improvements in infrastructure and education campaigns.

This RESPOND Initiative therefore aims to construct hygienic kitchens and storerooms at three rural projects in Togo, in order to reduce incidences of hygiene-related and waterborne illnesses experienced by 602 Compassion-assisted children and 44 adults.

Read the in-depth report here

Kitchen Construction 2014

KITCHEN CONSTRUCTION
SHINYANGA REGION, TANZANIA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Visited by Andrew Shirley, Sheena Shirley, Liz Johns and Jane Hodgetts, June 2015

Shinyanga student centre and AICT student centre were facing common challenges in the successful implementation of the holistic child development programme. The main challenge was inadequate kitchen facilities.

The previous kitchen facilities were temporary sheds constructed by project staff and therefore did not have sound drainage systems or equipment. This initiative aimed to improve food preparation and establish good hygiene practices in the two projects through the construction of modern kitchens and proper sewerage systems.

Read the in-depth report here

Child Development Centre 2014

FPCT UNGA LIMITED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
ARUSHA, TANZANIA

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Visited by Andrew Shirley, Sheena Shirley, Liz Johns and Jane Hodgetts, June 2015

Located in Arusha in northern Tanzania, Unga Limited is a densely populated slum area where most families are extremely poor and the majority of adults unemployed.

Through home visits, 53 families who were most in need, either single parent or child headed families received professional training and capital to start to grow their business activity.

Read the in-depth report here

Water Of Life 2013

ORGANISATION: COMPASSION UK

Water of Life Initiative, Compassion Child Development Centres, Togo, West Africa

Visited by Andrew Shirley, Steve Partridge and Jenny Ledsham January 2013

Access to safe, clean water is a fundamental human need. Yet, more than 1 billion people worldwide have no access to safe water.

Through Compassion Water of Life, 732 children and their families received a water filter unit which will provide safe drinking water for life.

Read the in-depth report here