Build Africa
 | |
| Founded | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Type | Charity, Non-Profit |
| Focus | International Development, Poverty, Education, livelihoods, gender equality |
| Location |
|
Area served | Kenya and Uganda |
| Website | http://www.build-africa.org/ |
Build Africa (formerly International Care & Relief ("ICR"),[1] formerly International Christian Relief[1]) is a British registered International development charity, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
It works with communities in rural parts of Kenya and Uganda, East Africa, focusing on developing education and livelihood opportunities. The charity currently supports around 150,000 people in the region through programmes aimed at finding long-term solutions to poverty.
History
Founded as a branch of International Christian Relief, the charity broke off from the American parent body and became independent under the name International Care & Relief, which enabled it to continue to use its recognized acronym, ICR. At the same time as becoming an independent organisation, ICR moved away from aid relief, choosing instead to focus on long-term development operating specifically in Kenya and Uganda.
- 2004 - ICR launched its first sustainable education program, called Build a School, aiming to promote access to education in rural areas of Kenya and Uganda. Build a School worked with 11 schools in its first year.
- 2007 - ICR re-branded to become Build Africa to reflect the organization's interest in sustainable development.
- 2009 - Build Africa was awarded 'Best International Charity' by the Charity Times, and continued to expand its programs.
- 2013 - Build Africa supported 65,962 children in 148 school communities, trained 3,063 people in hygiene and sanitation, and worked with 5,378 farmers towards better agricultural practices.
- 2015 - Build Africa appoints Linda Edwards, a former Marie Stopes International country and regional director, as its new CEO.
Scope of work
Build Africa states that having a good quality of life relies on the fulfilment of certain requirements: having enough nutritious food ensuring a healthy diet; being in good health; having a secure, reliable and sufficient income to cover existing and potential financial needs; having a safe and secure home to live in; to be educated to a level that provides long lasting benefits; and to have easy access to clean water.
The charity works with rural communities in Kenya and Uganda to escape poverty through education and income generation programmes.
Build Africa’s work covers two main areas: Building Education (incorporating all the organisation’s work with schools, teaching and learning) and Building Livelihoods (covering the work based around income generation).
Building Education
This works in four ways:
- Early years learning – working with communities to make sure children are prepared for starting school
- Maximising education – improving learning and teaching conditions in rural schools
- Promoting the education of girls
- Aiding transition out of primary education to secondary school or vocational training
Building Livelihoods
This focuses on sustainable income generation and community enterprise, working in three key areas:
- Credit access, connecting rural savings and loans groups with the formal financial system
- Examining farm productivity, storage for produce, access to markets
- Income diversification to aid resilience against unforeseen and unavoidable setbacks
Trustees and patrons
Build Africa has a number of patrons who support the charity's work, including: Penelope Wilton, Clive Myrie, Danny Wallace, Tamzin Merchant, James Wilby, Henry Olonga, Shiulie Ghosh, Richard Dowden, Richard Hoskins, Mark Florman and MP Greg Clark.
Its UK trustees are Andrew White (Chair of the Board), Tom Lindsay, Rupal Mistry, Susanne Niedrum, Simon Wong, Mike Noyes, Richard Germond, Katie Spencer-Smith Siobhan Sheridan, Dominic Tutt and Andrew White.
References
External links
- Build-africa.org - official homepage
- Official Facebook page
- Build Africa on Twitter
- Build Africa, Registered Charity no. 298316 at the Charity Commission
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