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Time to Shine raises over £1.2 million thanks to support from UK government


Thanks to each and everyone of our supporters who joined together to ensure more children can complete their education by supporting our Time to Shine appeal.

The UK government backed appeal raised over £1.21 million to support our locally led projects educating Ghana’s future generations. The appeal won support from the UK government for its focus on local empowerment to promote education as the most sustainable route out of poverty and demand more from Ghana’s Education Service.

As the Ghanaian government pledges to move beyond aid, AfriKids are investing in locally led solutions focussed on educating the next generation; plugging gaps between government policies and practice but with the intention that the Ghana Education Service will absorb their activities and sustain them in the future. Match funding from the UK government, raised through the Time to Shine appeal, will support over 18,000 children to complete their Basic Education and help them on a path to becoming economically active members of society.

The appeal also had support from broadcaster and TV personality, June Sarpong MBE, who joined AfriKids to help build a sustainable future for her country of heritage, away from poverty.

June, who was appointed an MBE for her services to broadcasting and charity and has been a passionate advocate for human rights causes including Make Poverty History, said:

“My education is the foundation my whole life was built on and when I think about the potential that is wasted because children are missing out on school, it’s a no brainer to me that we need to fix that.”

 Ghana boasts an impressive enrolment rate of 95% for primary school, but according to Ghana’s Ministry of Education, 6 out of 10 children are forced to drop out of primary education by the pressures of poverty, and it is even higher in the rural north where AfriKids works.

Thirteen years ago, AfriKids helped Gabriel with around £100 to complete his education. Gabriel, pictured back top right, now holds a degree and a master’s degree, and he has been able to pay for his younger siblings to complete their educations too.

International Development Secretary Alok Sharma said:

“I am delighted the UK government has matched people’s generous donations to AfriKids’ Time to Shine appeal, helping to raise more than £1 million.
“This money will allow children living in some of Ghana’s poorest communities to access a quality education for the first time.”

Public donations to the Time to Shine appeal supported AfriKids’ work keeping children healthy, safe and in school and match funds provided by the UK government are specifically supporting their Opening Doors to Schools programme, ensuring more children in northern Ghana complete a quality basic education and get their time to shine.

AfriKids Chief Executive, Charlie Hay said:

“We are delighted that the British public’s generous donations to our Time to Shine appeal have been matched by the UK Government.

Educating every child is critical to us ending poverty for good. The very poor families AfriKids works with in Ghana work incredibly hard to make ends meet and do the best for their kids, but it can be impossible to prioritise the long-term benefits of school over the more urgent needs of today. For many families, this support will be the difference of being able to give their children the best chance at a better future – thank you.”


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AfriKids UK Head Office:
AfriKids, Unit G05,
The Record Hall,
16-16A Baldwin's Gardens,
London,
EC1N 7RJ 

+44 (0) 207 269 0740

AfriKids Ghana Head Office:
PO Box 166
Bolgatanga
Upper East Region
Ghana

+233 (0) 3820 97134

Registered charity in England and Wales: 1141028
Registered NGO in Ghana: DSW/3024
Registered in The Netherlands. Tax no: 8238.13.289