Thank you

Thank you to our amazing supporters

We simply couldn’t do this without you

We want to say a heartfelt thank you to every person and organisation who has helped us make this dream a reality. From one-off gifts to long-term partnerships, fundraising challenges to monthly sponsorships – you’ve all played a part in changing lives.

A special relationship with a special company – DTRE

EKIK is excited to have joined forces with DTRE, one of the UK’s leading independent commercial real estate advisers

We’re really pleased to share that Empowering Kids in Kenya has started a partnership with the commercial real estate adviser, DTRE in October 2025. Our chair trustee Sally Searle and trustee Paul Graham visited DTRE’s London office to talk to the wider team about the work we do in Bombolulu. DTRE is an award winning independent property advisor known for its sharp market insight, collaborative approach and genuine commitment to making a positive difference beyond the workplace.

What makes this partnership feel especially meaningful is the kind of company DTRE is. They really do have a genuine, people-first culture and have always taken their charity work seriously. That came across in our visit, they’ve created an amazing office environment and we were overwhelmed by the warm, engaging and enthusiastic welcome from their young team.

Over the years they’ve supported a number of charitable organisations, including The Soup Kitchen, Centre Point, Duchenne UK, The Story of Christmas and The Brain Tumour Charity. They bring the same energy, care and professionalism to their community work as they do to their clients.

Here’s what DTRE have said about the partnership:

“We’re committed to supporting the charities closest to our team’s hearts. Empowering Kids in Kenya is one of those, and it’s through our colleague Paul Graham – who is also a trustee of the school – that we’ve come to know and support the charity and its work.

At DTRE, any small part we can play in helping create a brighter future for these girls and young women means a great deal to us. We look forward to continuing to support Sally, Paul and the rest of the EKIK team.”

We’re so proud and grateful that DTRE have chosen to support EKIK. Their backing will help us give even more young people in Kenya the chance to learn, grow and build the kind of future every child deserves.

Asante sana — thank you, DTRE, for standing with us

Getting goods to Kenya and more – thank you DHL

Each year we take a lot of goods and materials from the UK to the school, and we do mean a lot. We are very grateful that DHL arrange completely free transport year after year, I’m not sure what we would do without that help. That’s not all they do, they do a whole lot more, and free local (UK) storage facilities is just one practical example, as well as help through donations and fundraising.

 

 

Thanks to ActionCOACH and their clients

Our CEO has received free coaching twice a month since 2019 from ActionCOACH, the business coaching organisation who encourage their coaches to coach a charities for free. Over time they have provided considerable practical help for our fundraising efforts, all pro bono. They have donated generally and to support specific needs, such as providing solar lamps for the 2025 student intake to allow them to work at home when it’s dark, providing the science lab, the new website, providing personal development books. They also provide funds to allow one of the students from our previous school to attend residential secondary education, that started before the Bombolulu Educational Centre was formed.

In 2025 they provided and funded a 12 week entrepreneurial and development programme, from the YESS Foundation, that gave our students an insight to future opportunities from running their own businesses. It led them into the world of personal development, which has led to the students attending the programme to become more confident and forward thinking. Thanks also go to our head teacher Thomas who gave up a lot of his time to lead the programme.

They have a remarkable active community of clients we have been able to work with at business planning events, and they have helped us through a wide variety of fundraising and donations.

• Simply Smarter Marketing and Gareth Mueller provided website support
• Cable Management Warehouse (CMW) and their team for generously supporting nine of our students and backing us as a long-term corporate partner
• George Davies Turf and George’s family for funding places for seven students, supporting our Big Give Christmas appeal as well as spreading the word about the chariy
• East Midlands Reactive Maintenance who raised funds through the Three Peaks Challenge and a virtual canoe event, and support our students
• County Fabrications, Autogate, Belderbos Solicitors, Babs Morse, Guardian Environmental, Lee Duncan, Glenfield Electrical, and several more who have supported our children and made a variety of funding donations

 

We’ve been helped by a number of charities and foundations

As part of our fundraising to continue to build and furnish the school we’ve succesfully appealed to a number of different charities and foundations, who have generously provided financial support, and in a number of cases, valuable moral encouragement. These charities do a huge amount of unseen good for the charity and voluntary sector, as well as often supporting vital public services.

Your help has made it possible to build the school, expand facilities, fund vital projects, and keep the school running – so that the very poorest children in Bombolulu can get the secondary education and the opportunities they deserve.

So many people give up their time

From sorting  donations, to packing boxes, to help with fundraising (there’s lots of that), to manning our stands at events, to visiting the school in Kenya and giving the kids and the staff encouragement and motivation, to looking after visitors from Kenya,

All of our trustees are unpaid, as is Geoff Ward, who looks after our communication and donation suppport system so well. Without Geoff we’d definitely be struggling.

And a whole lot more

Thank you to Inner Wheel for choosing us as their charity of the year in 2025 and all that has meant. Thanks to Jaguar Landrover who have supported us in a number of different ways over the years. The Womens’ Institute has allowed us to talk to a number of their groups and this has led to donantions of money and helful goods. Tesco provided free school uniforms from their excess stock. Northwick Trust helped rasie money to fund the playground purchase. So many people and organisations have donated a variety of items or funded items that make life easier for the kids and the community. Bras, knickers and sanitary products help the ladies. We receive lots of books and other useful educational products, whole kits of tools and equipment for woodwork, sowing and more. There’s too much to mention here, but we’re always grateful for whatever you might have given to us.

Some special volunteers

We think that all of our volunteers are special, and some do a lot of work behind the scenes.We must give a mention to Geoff Ward, who keeps us in regular contact with our supporters and has developed and maintained the system that allows our supporters to sponsor our students. Thank you Geoff for all that you do. There are a number of volunteers who are always there to help when asked, you know who you are, we can’t say thank you often enough.

Finally thank you to our teachers and staff

We never fail to be suprised and impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of our team at the school. They work long hours and go way beyond what we ask of them. From supporting all sorts of extra curricular activities, to running classes in the school holidays for the students who need extra help (and most of them take up the option), they do so much to give our students the best chance to make the most of their lives.