EdUKaid has won the 2021 UK Charity Governance Award for ‘Improving Impact in Small Charities’. This award recognises EdUKaid’s incredible work in transforming the lives of vulnerable children in rural Tanzania and the role of its Trustees in achieving such incredible impact.

The entry portrayed a good example of a charity that was established by a group of individuals because they had a passion and then evolved into a more professional enterprise, achieving greater impact because of that

Judges said they were impressed by EdUKaid Trustees’ specific identification of pre-primary education as a catalyst for change due to its important influence on children’s long-term learning outcomes and life opportunities. In recent years, EdUKaid has transformed its support of pre-primary education and invested in processes for evaluating impact. As a result, its community-led education initiatives such as the Heshima project and the Inclusive Education Project currently support more than 20,000 disadvantaged children in rural Tanzania. Using social media platforms and this website, EdUKaid staff continue to champion the agency and capability of all young children in Mtwara whilst enabling donors to understand how they can play a part in generating positive change and enhancing the opportunities available to young people.  

Reaction from Chair of Trustees

Chair of Trustees and local businessman Tim Varney told us “We’d simply like to say thank you. Thank you to all of our supporters, our staff, our volunteers, and my fellow Trustees -  we couldn’t make the difference that we do without you. One of the things that COVID has taught us is how strong the charity is because we have been able to continue our work despite the recent struggles of the last year and a half. I’m a very proud chair of Trustees”.

Winners were announced at a special online presentation hosted by The Clothworkers’ Company in London. The ceremony also featured a poignant keynote from guest speaker Ndidi Okezie OBE, CEO of UK Youth. She called for greater accountability and awareness of positionality within the aid sector whilst commending the efforts of charity workers and volunteers over the course of the turbulent year. She stated, “What we do can really change a piece of the world, and nothing typifies that more than the sacred dance between governance, staff and supporters”.

Other winners

Other winners included Green’s Windmill Trust winning the prize for embracing opportunity and harnessing risk as part of their dynamic COVID-19 response. The Muslim Women’s Network UK won the ‘Transforming with Digital’ award for enhancing their digital landscape and services throughout successive lockdowns, and Talk, Listen, Change the ‘Board Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’ award recognising how their counselling and support services have promoted positive relationships and renewed emphasis on wellbeing which has been vital throughout the pandemic.

Michael Jarvis - Chair of the Awards

Michael Jarvis, who chairs the Awards for the organisers said, “Many congratulations to the winners – and to all the nominees for making it onto the shortlist – each one of them has shown ingenuity and determination during one of the most difficult periods we’ve known. Achieving brilliance at board level once is commendable, but to remain brilliant and continue to innovate and improve, particularly during a global pandemic, is remarkable.”

Achieving brilliance at board level once is commendable, but to remain brilliant and continue to innovate and improve, particularly during a global pandemic, is remarkable

Every year The Clothworkers’ Company - a City of London livery company that supports trusteeship initiatives - hosts the UK Charity Governance Awards. These are designed to shine a light on good governance in the charity sector and recognise the incredible efforts of UK-based charities in tackling various social issues and challenges year upon year.

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