Donations

You may be aware that we regularly give support via Care International to working families in some of the poorest regions of the world. Sometimes that support takes the form of 'no obligation' interest-free loans that enable the recipients to expand their small businesses to grow and provide essential funds for families that work hard to help better their situation. As you'll see from this page, we support families all around the globe, including in the West Bank and Gaza where there have been horrific scenes following the recent attacks from Israel. We've no way to contact those that we support in Palestine (communication has been cut, and aid agencies have more important work to be undertaking there right now), or even any way to tell if those that we support have survived the recent attacks. We sincerely hope that they're OK. It's difficult to know how best to donate to help the people of Gaza right now, given that aid is being blockaded and controlled,  but one small thing we can do is to write off 100% of outstanding loans from everyone we support in the Palestinian Territories. The loans were always without obligation in any event, and we're happy to give any support that we can. We add our voice to the millions of calls for a ceasefire, hope for an end to the attacks, and for peace in the region.

November 02, 2023

Mrs. Luong is 41 years old, married and has three children living in Quang Xuong District of Hanoi, Vietnam. Her eldest daughter is currently studying in college. Her second son is in 8th grade at a local secondary school. The youngest daughter is just a few months old. Her husband works as a construction worker and Mrs. Luong works as a factory worker in a shoe company; their combined income is only $394 (£324.39) a month. Mrs. Luong understands the importance of education and wants to ensure that her children have every opportunity to succeed, so we've given her £50 via Care International to help her purchase study materials and equipment for her children. Like Mrs Luong we understand the value in investing in education, and we admire her for providing her children with the necessary tools to excel in their studies, despite living on very low income. We wish them well.

October 26, 2023

Today we've given £100 to Pipal Tree - a charity that educates the poorest girls in Nepal, keeping them in school, and preventing drop-out and child marriage. Pipal Tree is a UK based charity that is employing five local tutors in Nepal over the next five to ten years. Their aim is to provide extra tuition and learning support to girls who may be at risk of early school drop-out due to poverty. These girls are often from the lowest castes of Nepalese society (the so-called 'untouchables', though we're not sure we're keen to repeat that difficult term). Pipal are funding Community Learning Centres whereby children from the lowest castes and ethnic minorities receive extra tuition and help with homework, and that reduces drop out from mainstream schools. The tutors are college students from the same caste groups whose modest remuneration allows them to complete their own education. So, this is win-win for children and tutors alike, the tutors themselves becoming role models for the girls that they support. We wish them well.

October 11, 2023

Ahtsham Sahib is a 27-year-old resident of Lahore. He resides with his elderly parents, and he is their sole financial support. Ahtsham is unmarried and is responsible for their well-being. Ahtsham earns a living by operating a shop where he sells hardware and sanitary items. Additionally, for the past two years, Ahtsham has worked as a plumber, specialising in bathroom and kitchen fixture installations. He generates an approximate monthly income of just £73, all of which is dedicated to sustaining his family and business. To help him out we've given him the equivalent of a month's income and covered costs (via Care International), to enable him to purchase stock items for things like flush systems, tanks and pipes and to help him improve his small business and better support his family. We wish him well. We spend £hundreds a day on building contractors in Europe, so it's a nice change to be able to make a big difference to one individual's income in a place like Pakistan.

September 29, 2023

Mildred is a 45 year old widow with three children living in Cebu province of the Philippines that we know and visit. Her eldest child is now in employment, the middle child is in the third year of college and the youngest is in 10th grade at school. Mildred has her own school supplies stall/ store which is close to the local school. We've given her a no-obligation 'loan' via charity Care International to help pay her son's 3rd year college fees to reduce the risk of disqualification due to late fee payment, and also some funds to purchase reams of paper for her small photocopy business. If she's able, in time, to repay then that's fine (and we'll forward 100%+ to others), or if she has financial difficult there's no obligation to repay. Mildred is highly committed to supporting her family, and we wish her well.

September 27, 2023

Today we've donated £50 to Blood Bikes Wales. Blood Bikes Wales is a volunteer-run charity that delivers blood (and other medical essentials) between blood banks, patients and NHS locations in Wales - it's an essential support charity for the NHS and invaluable for say patients living with cancer in rural Wales, particularly over weekends and holiday periods. Blood Bikes are the unseen angels of cancer care in rural Wales, working hand in hand with the Chemo Dept. of Ysbyty Bronglais Hospital, and other health trusts in Wales. Without their interventions and timely deliveries of complex temperature controlled blood products, drugs etc. patients could be left in medical need at a weekend or say a winter's night. If it wasn't for hearing how they'd helped a good friend we'd have had no idea they even existed - but we're delighted to now know that they do, and we wish them well.

September 03, 2023

Jean is 45 years old potato farmer. He lives with his wife and their three children in Nyabihu , Rwanda. All three children are going to a local school. Jean and his wife support up to 10 seasonal workers on their potato farm - they've decades of experience and grow Irish potatoes (!). We've given him £50 via Care International to try and increase his yield by expanding the area of cultivation - he hopes to produce 15 tonnes of potato rather than the typical 10 tonnes. Everything is done manually on the farm, without motorisation. The increased yield will help Jean improve sales and profits and a portion of the money will go towards caring for his family. We wish them well. If he's able to return any funds we'll give at least 100% to other entrepreneurs in developing countries, and record it on our page. If he's unable to make a profit then he has no obligation.

July 30, 2023

Ali Raza is 22 years old young greengrocer. He is unmarried and lives in Kasur in Pakistan with his parents and three siblings. His sister is in education and both his brothers are looking for jobs. His mother takes care of household chores. His father works and makes around £66 monthly. Ali is a greengrocer and has been selling vegetables for two years. He has a small stall at the market, and his customers are people who come to the market for their shopping. He makes around £63 a month. Along with Care International and local partner the Akhuwat Foundation we're helping him increase stock to hopefully increase profitability and income. We wish the family well.

July 21, 2023

Pleased to have been able to support UK charity Say it Loud with a donation this week . Say it Loud support LGBTQ asylum seekers Pictured is Daphine, has recently been granted asylum in the UK! For some time, Daphine was afraid to speak about her fear of returning to her home country where she could have been targeted due to her sexuality. Say It Loud Club have supported her through counselling, social engagement, and educational projects until she had the courage and confidence to seek help from the Home Office. It’s been a long arduous journey for Daphine, who has waited more than 4 years for her case to granted in court! Happy to support such a good cause. Huge congratulations, Ambassador Daphine! Freedom at last.

July 15, 2023

Happy to support Breast Cancer Now today, with a sponsorship of our friend Zoe Taylor-Beech who is undertaking a 10 mile charity swim. This UK charity supports around 300 researchers in the field of breast cancer, and also those living with it. We've seen massive improvements in the outcomes and care for those living with breast cancer in our own lifetime, and we're happy to support any project that can improve things further. Well done Zoe on your huge swim!

July 07, 2023

Through Care International we've given £50 to help Vilma in Cebu province of the Philippines, that we know and visit. Vilma is 60 years old and happily married to Maximo Loguiber. The couple has five children, three sons and one daughter. Four of her children are married and living separately. Their youngest is now attending college and her eldest brothers pays all his younger sisters education fees. They are all living in a remote village in the town of San Fernando on Cebu island. Vilma and her husband have had a small street stall for the past eight years, selling affordable household items like buckets, baskets, plastic tableware. Three years ago Maximo had a heart attack caused by high blood pressure and is unfortunately now paralyzed. Vilma manages their business selling kitchen wares like plates, spoons, forks, kettles, cooking pots, hangers, buckets, basins etc to cover her husband’s medicine costs and their daily food expenses. Her business is open from 7 o'clock in the morning until 5 o'clock in the afternoon daily. She takes a bus once a week to Cebu city to buy stock from a wholesaler. We wish them well.

July 04, 2023

Mrs. Thanh is a 47-year-old Vietnamese woman who resides in a small village located in the rural Quang Xuong district. She lives with her husband, two children, and grandchild. Despite the daily challenges of living in a remote area, Mrs. Thanh and her husband have been able to support their family by engaging in the rice trade. They purchase rice from local farmers, process it into grains, and sell it to traders. For generations, Mrs. Thanh's family has been involved in buying rice directly from local farmers. They have established a strong rapport with the local farming community and are well-known for their fair trade practices. The couple acquires paddy from farmers, cleans and dries it, and then mills it into rice grains. They subsequently sell the grain to traders who export it to other countries or distribute it to various regions within Vietnam. We've given her £50 to help her purchase rice for processing to aid her community.

June 29, 2023

Jean Pierre is 34 years old and lives with his wife and their three children in a rural part of Rwanda. He is proud that two of his children are going to school, and both he and his wife work hard to provide for them. Jean Pierre runs a grocery shop, and his wife works as a farmer growing traditional potatoes but she sometimes also helps him in the shop. They sell basic food items such as biscuits, pasta and cooking oil, pans, maize flour, sugar, rice, beans, and other household items. Through Care International we've helped the family invest in new stock in the hope that the increase to their income will help him to provide a better life for their family, and create a job for one person to assist in the shop.

June 27, 2023

Three years ago, during Covid (can it really be that long ago?) we helped Weneber keep her small shop in Cebu province afloat with a small financial donation. You can find information by scrolling down this page. Although she was under no obligation, since then, and now that times have improved, she's paid back what we gave her. We were moved by this as it really was a 'Covid donation' to help one family get through hard times and we didn't expect it. We've since passed that money on to others. As we've a relationship with her and her family, and know the town that she trades in, we've decided to support them once again by assisting with her son's school fees. The family work 7 days a week, with their small store open from 5am to 7pm and in the Philippines you have to pay for regular school costs. We're particularly impressed that right through the tough Covid period Weneber provided goods on credit to those who weren't able to pay at the time - it's these small acts of kindness that keep our world moving.

May 20, 2023

It's Mental Health Week, and we're very pleased to be in a position to donate £100 to Kangaroos who support people with learning disabilities and their families, through clubs, activities and days out. Funding cuts of around 70% have threatened the activities of UK charities like Kangaroos, and we're happy to support them. They offer a wide range of clubs, activities and residential trips, including after-school clubs for ages 6 through to 12, weekly social clubs for teenagers and adults, Saturday and holiday trips to local attractions. They also offer residential stays throughout the year for ages 6 up. These are fantastic breaks provide members with independence, confidence and above all, a fun trip away!

May 19, 2023

Just Like Us is the LGBT+ young people's charity. As it's Mental Health Awareness week we've donated, with your support, £100 to this UK charity that we believe in. They provide training, resources, and ongoing support to educators and their students. The money will be used to help them establish supportive places for LGBT+ pupils - we we know really matters. Thank you.

May 16, 2023

Mr Borey is a 29 year old cassava and rice farmer in Phnom Srok province of NW Cambodia. He's married and the couple have a 6 year old son. The family grow rice or cassava depending on season, and sell via the local middle-man - it's their only income. We've given him £50 to help him towards the costs of purchasing some extra land to better support his family and keep his child in school. We've lived in Cambodia and know it well, and we wish this family every success with their project.

May 03, 2023

We're really impressed by the work of the Welsh Dee Trust, who are an environmental charity that campaigns to keep the river Dee catchment area of North Wales free from pollution. We've donated £100 to hel with their staff time in organising events and education including river cleanups with local volunteers. It's hoped that their current campaign will achieve: • More individuals working towards identifying and fixing sources of pollution in their local waterbodies • Increased knowledge of sources of domestic pollution (and actions to take at home) • Improved coverage of water quality data across the catchment • Increased knowledge of local surface water drain networks • Less single-use plastic pollution in the environment We love the beautiful Afon Dyfrdwy / Dee and look forwards to seeing it protected using local volunteers.

April 26, 2023

North Wales Wildlife Trust have been lucky to be able to buy a large tract of land at Bryn Ifan, Clynnog Fawr on the Llyn Peninsula. Bryn Ifan is south of Caernarfon, where the Llyn Peninsula starts to take shape. It lies on the north-eastern flanks of the mountains which include Yr Eifl, running down to the lowlands which head south to Porthmadog. Being close to the coast, it is highly affected by rain-laden south-westerly winds. We've donated £100 to their project to replant native trees there and to improve biodiversity on this landscape that is now public access as a nature reserve for all.

April 21, 2023

Adam is a 22-year-old living with his family in Nablus City, located in the north of the West Bank of Palestine. He owns a tire shop which he established three years ago, where he sells a variety of tires and rims for different cars. With the strategic location of his store, Adam has gained a reasonable customer base. Currently, he earns approximately $700 per month and has two employees to assist him with the store. Along with Care International we're assisting him to purchase tires and rims in bulk from a wholesaler. By buying in large quantities, he hopes to receive a discount which will increase his profit margins. Adam is driven to provide for his wife and children financially, and plans to continue doing so long into the future. We wish him well, and for an improved economy in the West Bank. The money we've provided is an interest-free 'loan' without obligation (and we've covered administration costs) - if he is able in the future to pay it back we'll pass on at least 100% of what he repays to others. If he is unable to repay some or all of the loan, we'll write if off without question.

April 11, 2023

We're happy to be able to assist Darwin Vladimir in Peribuela, Cotacahi, Northern Ecuador, via Care International. Darwin is 26, married and has a child and has been arable farming for the past eight years, growing beans and corn on four hectares of land. He harvests twice a year and sells his produce on Thursdays at the local wholesale market. Along with others we're helping him buy agricultural supplies (sticks and wires for bean growing) and contract labour for harvesting. We wish him and his young family well.

March 31, 2023

Steven lives in Cebu province of the Philippines with his wife Florame and three children, who are aged between 6 and 10 years old. Together Florame and Steven make around 8000 candles per week, and they're typically sold directly from their stall to villagers celebrating the many local siestas. Florame has also started a small street-front stall selling general goods, and brings in around £15 to £37 in gross sales. We've helped them buy a sack of candle wax to melt and use to form candles to help aid their sales and support their family. The profit made will help them with daily household expenses. We know Cebu well and wish the family success with their enterprise.

March 28, 2023

Nathali lives in the La Esperanza district of Peru, is married with two children (8 and 10). We heard about her through Care International and admired her entrepreneurial nature. Not only is she a qualified beautician, providing home hair and beauty services, but she also has a sideline business making and selling Tamales in the local market (Mexican type food parcels baked in Banana leaf), and a second sideline business selling jewellery items like ear-rings etc that she sends to the city to be sold. She's generally out from 6am to 10pm running these three trades, and we've helped her out with some funds to help set up her own beauty salon in a room at home, and wish her and the family well.

March 18, 2023

We helped Jhonny Jheison, a photographer with a young family in Tumbes, Peru set up his photography studio over a year ago. We're pleased to report with our help, and that of aid organisation Care International, his business is thriving and in the interim he has paid us back for the entire sum that we gave him (it was given without obligation). We've passed that money forwards to other entrepreneurs in developing countries (several shown here on this page). We're now supporting Jhonny and his family again as they expand their enterprise - to buy a new film camera and also baby/toddler clothes than can be used on the shoots (he sells packages of make-up/clothing/studio shots). We're confident that with our £100 and other funds via Care International he'll continue to make a success of his small studio, and support his two children (age 4 and 6). We wish them well.

March 09, 2023

It's International Women's Day, and although most of the entrepreneurs we support in developing countries are women, it's a good excuse to support another woman who is working hard to support her family. Nudeuen is a 54-year-old single mother who lives in a remote area of Surin province of Thailand with her parents, an older sibling, and 20 years old child. Her family generally farms jasmine rice for sale and offers labourer services to make a living. Furthermore, she runs a street stall selling food as a side occupation. Nudeuen sells noodle soups, and is well known locally for her fried dumplings stuffed with quail eggs served with homemade sweet chilli sauce. She has been running this business for about ten years now after having learning her culinary skills in a traditional restaurant. She works hard and hopes to provide enough income to support her family and improve their living. At the moment it's a simple charcoal stove street stall, and via Care International we've given her £100 to help buy some tables and chairs to provide eat-in services (it's common to have semi open-air restaurants in Thailand). We wish her well.

March 08, 2023

Latdawan ia 25 years old and lives with her younger sister in a rural part of Sisaket province in Thailand that we know and have visited. It's a rural area on the Cambodian border away from the main tourist centres. To earn a living and support themselves, both Latdawan and her sister work as rubber tappers (you see miles of rubber tree plantations there) and have recently opened a second-hand clothing stall to offer another income stream. Like many low-income families, Latdawan and her sister experienced financial difficulty during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were both unable to work on the rubber tapping farm during this time, and they are thankful that their parents supported them during this time to help them start a small clothing shop in front of their home. We've given the sisters £100 and paid costs (via Care International) to buy new clothing stands and shelves to help promote the business. Under the local scheme if the sisters are able to pay any funds back then we'll make sure that 110% is reinvested again (again without obligation) to support other small entrepreneurs in developing countries. We wish them well and admire their business idea - as well as the fact that we admire the sustainability of the secondhand clothing market.

March 05, 2023

Ceferena's mini grocery shop business in Cebu province of the Philippines that we know and visit, helps her support her family and keep her kids in school. Her husband drives a public utility vehicle. Her grocery shop is open from 5 in the morning and closes at 7 in the evening. Along with Care International we're helping her re-stock fast-selling items like biscuits, candies, rice, corn, sodas, and other grocery items to increase her daily sales. If she pays Care back we'll gift 110% of the money to another small entrepreneur, or if she has any difficulty we'll write off the 'loan' as a gift.

February 27, 2023

We've donated £225 to the Disasters and Emergencies Committee to assist with the relief effort after the Turkey/ Syria earthquake this week. The DEC distribute their funds between 14 major charities to provide immediate assistance on the ground. It's impossible not to be moved by the harrowing scenes coming from the disaster zone, and we sincerely hope that as many as possible can be saved and protected.

February 08, 2023

Mrs. Mesa is a 30 year old married woman with a six year old daughter living in the Phnom Srok District of Banteaymeanchey Province of Cambodia that we have visited and know. The family farm both rice and cassava. Along with Care International we're helping the family buy an extra field for 'wet season' rice production to make their farm more viable, and to help support their income. The new field will help, they hope, bring in around a tonne of rice per annum, which they can sell to support their family. We wish them well.

February 05, 2023

28-year-old Ayesha Akhtar is a resident of Lahore in Pakistan where she lives with her parents and four siblings. Her father works and earns £73 per month. Ayesha has been working as a professional seamstress for five years. She earns £59 per month. Her customers bring their fabrics to her and she makes their outfits according to the designs they provide her. We've given her £50 to buy sewing materials to enhance her work and attract more customers. She will use the money to buy threads, beads, laces, fabric etc. We wish her well.

December 24, 2022

We're happy to help Jean Claude and his family in Rwanda this Christmas. Jean Claude is 29 years old and lives in the Ngororero District with his wife and their two children who both attend school. While he runs a small wholesale stall/ shop, his wife grows seasonal crops to feed the family and sells the surplus locally. Jean Claude has been running his wholesale shop for around three years. Like many shop owners, he started out small selling to individual customers and over time he has increased the volumes he sells and now operates as a small wholesaler. He offers a range of products that are likely to be stocked by other small-scale shop keepers, including staple products like rice, maize, beans and cleaning supplies. We're helping him (via Care International, a donation of £50) with stock such as beans, maize flour and soap to help his business grow, and to enable him to employ part-time assistance. We wish them well.

December 11, 2022

We've donated £350 to City Hospice, Cardiff to help with their winter fuel bill. This year we've experienced the loss of a family member who, after several 'grim' experiences of palliative care in the hospital system and private care homes was finally granted a space in a hospice. We witnessed first hand the amazing work that these places undertake, and the gulf between the often undignified environment of a hospital ward, and the peace and caring space to be found in a hospice. The hospice movement is one that needs the support of us all, and we're grateful to have these caring, peaceful places available.

December 08, 2022

We've donated £100+ to Designability for their 'Wizzybug' scheme which loans innovative electric wheelchairs to young children with disabilities. Remarkably, in the UK the NHS has no facility at all for electric wheelchair systems at all for the under 5s - this charity steps in to loan amazing 'Wizzybugs' to give young disabled children the freedom of movement. If a family can't afford their own specialist electric wheelchair then the state has none available. A fantastic scheme that we're delighted to support.

December 05, 2022

We've donated £100+ to Swansea Community Farm to help t hem buy fodder to get them through winter 2022. Swansea Community Farm solves social isolation and poor mental health by bringing people together to form a purposeful community that runs, develops and manages a city Farm. They keep rare-breed farm animals and we've helped them out with some funds for feed, bedding and health costs. Costs increase further in winter with no grass growing at charity projects like this, as their animals need to spend more time indoors sheltering from the colder weather. The farm is run by volunteers and we wish them well. As lifelong vegetarians ourselves we're strong supporters of city farm projects like this that engage people with animals that they might otherwise only encounter on a supermarket shelf.

December 04, 2022

We've donated £100+ to Article 25, a charity who design and deliver schools, hospitals, orphanages and homes in the poorest countries in the world - so adults and children have access to education, healthcare and dignified housing. Their current project is to provide accommodation for orphaned and disabled children in Tanzania. Disabled and orphaned children in Tanzania are some of the most vulnerable in the world. 98% of disabled children do not go to school and a recent BBC documentary, 'Forced to Beg - Tanzania's trafficked kids', showed disabled children, as young as three, trafficked alone to Kenya, and forced to beg. 8% of children in Tanzania are orphans and face life on the streets. Without adequate housing, schools and the love and care every child deserves, they face exploitation, violence, hunger and abuse. Article 25 are designing and delivering a beautiful, purpose built, children's village in Boma, Tanzania, for seventy orphaned children. Each of the 'cottages' has a 'mama', and is where the children can enjoy education, play, healthcare and love. Article 25 are also building a pre-school, the only one of its kind within a 1,000 mile radius, purpose built with disabled children in mind. It includes classrooms for 160 children, rooms for music, play, and physiotherapy and a sensory garden. We wish them well.

December 03, 2022

We've given £100 to The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. You may know the place - it's truly wonderful. We know it from school trips in childhood, family visits, and later from taking Masters students there to learn about Heritage Management from when Greg worked at Lampeter University. It's the most remarkable collection of buildings, and they desperately need funds to help conserve them. They rely on visitor numbers, which (of course) took a huge hit during the pandemic. We know as building conservators ourselves just how much work goes into protecting old buildings - and they have so many to care for, it must be an almost impossible task. If you've never been then DO GO - it is a fantastic day out and so much to see and do.

December 02, 2022

As you know, Under the Thatch has conservation of historic buildings at its core. Historic buildings in Antarctica are subjected to extreme conditions and they need regular specialist, conservation. Ice, wind and increasing rain batter the wooden walls and windows and make these buildings, which tell the early histories of climate science and discovery, extremely vulnerable. As we're so far away, and they're out of the mind's eye, it's easy to forget these structures, hence we've donated today £100 to the UK Antartic Heritage Trust. Most urgently this year is the need to repaint their Damoy Base, Historic Site and Monument No. 84 under the International Antarctic Treaty (pictured). We wish them well with the project and good work that they do.

November 30, 2022

Via Care International we've given Mrs. Hong of Hai Binh Ward, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, £50 towards the cost of building a toilet for her family. She lives on a low income (a household income of around £289 a month from providing seafood to local restaurants). Her plan is to replace the old and unhygienic latrine to improve her family’s living conditions and their surrounding environment. We wish them well.

November 27, 2022

Maria is 43 years old and has four children ages between 9 and 20 years old, living in Cebu province of the Philippines that we know well. A ll her children are studying in different levels. and we've given her £100 (and covered transfer costs) to assist with school fees. Maria used to work at the village hall until this year she decided to move on by starting her own food stall selling snacks and easy to cook dishes and barbecues. Along with partner Alan she sells snacks like 'buko' juice and fried bananas. We're happy to be able to support her family and wish them well.

November 18, 2022

Happy to support the excellent work of the Wales Air Ambulance with a donation of a hundred pounds. We've seen them in action ourselves lately doing an incredible job help, and apparently without direct government support. Given the complex and mountainous terrain of Wales, we fully understand the need for this vital service, and are proud to support what they do.

November 12, 2022

We regularly donate small amounts to our local food bank, and this week we've donated around £50 of 'treat items' that we felt might go down well, including a big box of mini bags of veggie Haribos for kids (it is Halloween, after all!). Being vegetarian ourselves we always ensure that everything donated is vegetarian, and most is also vegan, and we try and make a special effort in any food bank donations to try and include items that we don't often see in the usual collection points - so a few specialist sauces, luxury snacks and other treats.

October 27, 2022

Happy to support Vanna in Battambang province of Cambodia (that we know and visit) with help for her small rice farm today. Vanna is a 36 year old married woman with two children, aged 15 and 11, both of whom attend the local school. The family live in the Sangke District of Battambang Province where she and her husband farm dry season rice each year for sale to provide the income for the family. They have their own paddy field on which they grow short term rice which is three hectares in size and from which they get a harvest of four tons of rice per hectare. The crops are then sold to a local middle man who buys direct from their farm. In order to expand their farming activity, they also rent a further four hectares of paddy field land from another villager at a cost of $200 (£174.91) per hectare. We're helping her with seed, ploughing and other general agricultural costs to aid her harvest. We wish her and her family well.

September 28, 2022

We've donated £200 to assist the Disasters and Emergencies Appeal for assistance with the terrible floods in Pakistan. We wish the people well, and the aid workers who are providing essential assistance - a thousand+ lives lost, and 6 million people in need of urgent help.

September 09, 2022

Bertha is 57 years old and married with two children, living in La Esperanza, Peru. She has been working as a beautician/ hairdresser for 18 years, starting a small salon from her living room. She then taught her daughters hairdressing skills and they now also work for their small business that is open 7 days a week from 9am to 7pm. Bertha's main clients are her neighbours, family members and the general public and her average daily sales are s/ 150.00 soles (£32.28) with a profit margin of 20% of her total income. We're assisting her to purchase two new hair cutting machines (replacing broken ones) and to buy an armchair. We wish her well with the business and her dreams to later expand into larger premises in the historic center of Trujillo.

August 26, 2022

Ahlam is married with four children and has recently started her own beauty salon. She lives with her family in the town of Jenin which is in the north of the West Bank. Ahlam has around 10 years of professional experience, having recently set up her own salon having worked for others. She offers hairdressing and hair clouring, make-up and skin care. Via Care International we've helped her buy equipment and supplies for her new business and to help pay the annual rent. She expects the next few months to be very busy because it is wedding season. Once the business is properly running Ahlam hopes to take on an assistant. We wish her well with the enterprise.

August 15, 2022

Tourism can have a beneficial environmental impact, and it can also have a detrimental one. We've been happy to support the Eco Koh Tao project (run by Black Turtle Divers) in Thailand this summer, which works to restore and improve the amazing coral reefs around Koh Tao in Thailand. We've been regular divers on these reefs over the last decade and have seen the degradation caused by various things, but including from the impact of tourism. Lukas has been on a Marine Resource Management course, an Ecological Monitoring Programme, Coral Watch, Sea Turtle Ecology, Shark Ecology and Population Conservation, Underwater Naturalist and Dive Against Debris Courses, including weeks of diving on the artificial reef collecting data on the growth and health of the new reef that will hopefully inform ways to maintain and improve the adjacent original roof. This has included hands-on surveys of the biodiversity and assistance with the project to clear rubbish, and nurture coral fragments that have been damaged by boat anchors, fishing etc. We wish them well with the project, and look forwards to revisiting in future years to see how the coral has fared.

August 14, 2022

The Covid pandemic has affected everything, everywhere, including animal sanctuaries across the globe. We're currently investigating the affects of the pandemic on animal care in Thailand (for a degree dissertation) and have been in touch with several of the sanctuaries there that rescue and care for Asian elephants. There is some degree of variation between the best and worst sanctuary (some really are primarily tourism businesses), but we have direct contact with and know Noi at Samui Elephant Home. We've seen her work this year, and know that she genuinely cares for the elephants in her sanctuary. Feeding them during Covid has been challenging (an adult can eat 300lbs of food a day), and we've helped her out with a donation to help grow food on her farm that can be used for the elephants until the tourism businesses are back on their feet. The daily visitors to the sanctuary form an important part of the income for these sanctuaries that protect these wonderful, if endangered creatures.

August 09, 2022

A friend is cycling the Wild Atlantic Way of Ireland to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, and we're very happy to help with a £100 donation. We've had a couple of experiences of Macmillan's work this year, as we're sure many of you will as well, and we're utterly impressed by their professional and caring staff. They've been providing support to a good friend with secondary breast cancer in Wales (Cyffin's mum), and also to a relative in Stoke on Trent who required hospice care. It'd be hard to have more respect for this charity and its dedicated workers - they really do care, and they do such a fantastic job.

August 08, 2022

The Covid closures has hit developing countries hard, particularly those with significant tourist economies that saw almost complete economic collapse in some areas. We know A-ki, from Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand. She has temporarily moved down to Koh Samui, a 'tourist island' in the Gulf of Thailand now that tourism is finally reopening. She makes bracelets and necklaces from coconut shell beads and sea shells, as well as some purchased stock (like metal beads) and touts them to tourists on the popular beaches, and sends money back home to her family. We've gifted her 60 GBP to help with buying stock and her general living expenses, and we wish her well. She's the loveliest person.

August 02, 2022

Sitraton is 31 year old Rwandan potato farmer. He is married and lives with his wife and their three beautiful children who attend a local school. Sitraton supports his family's day to day household expenses by growing potatoes with the help of his wife. We've given him £50 to buy potato seed to help their small business, and we wish them well.

July 13, 2022