Past Projects
Here you can see photos from out past projects. We first started working with New Life International Orphanage in Ghana and then helped further organisations. A big thank you to all the people who have helped by supporting these projects. We look forward to developing further projects which will help these children in all the countries we have made links with.
Our past projects include:
2011:
Donation towards an Orphaned Baby's Surgery in China
Funding a Children's Art Project in Romania
Linking a Local Transport Business with a Creche in South Africa
Distribution of Clothes and Teddies to Two Organisations in Ghana
Distribution of Baby Clothes and Special Sensory Toys for Organisations in China
Distribution of Toys and Clothes to Three Organisations in Romania
2010:
Benches and Tables for a Children’s Home and School in Ghana
Repairing Computers at an Educational Project in Romania
Providing Food for Children at a School and Orphanage in Ghana
Funeral for a Child in South Africa
Distribution of Toys in Romania, South Africa and Ghana
Distribution of Educational Items and Donation for a School in Argentina
Distribution of Clothes, Toys and Recorders to Three Organisations in Romania
Providing a Carer's Salary for a Children's Home in Romania
Providing Food for a Creche in South Africa
Donation for an Educational Project in Romania
Building a Classroom for a School in Ghana
Donation for Food and Contribution towards Teachers' Salaries in Ghana
2009:
Providing funding for Sports Programmes in South Africa
Clothes Distribution in South Africa
Creating a Partnership between two South African Organisations
Arranging a Volunteer Trip to Romania
Legal Advice for Organisation in Romania
2008:
Clothes Distribution in Romania
Support for a Hospital Project in Romania
Distribution of School Items for Children in Argentina
Installation of Louvre Blades for an Orphanage's Windows in Ghana
2007:
Providing Sewing Machines for an Orphanage in Ghana
Building a Playground at an Orphanage in Ghana
Installation of a Water Storage Tank at a Ghanaian Orphanage
Installation of Electricity for an Orphanage in Ghana
Providing Tables and Books for a Ghanaian Orphanage
Giving out Teddies at a Ghanaian Orphanage
Distributing Clothes at two Orphanages in Ghana
2011:
Donation towards an Orphaned Baby's Surgery in China
Following a Chinese Tea Party fundraiser, we were able to make a donation of two hundred and twenty pounds to the Baobei Foundation, in Shanghai. This went towards the medical fees for Baby Rose, an orphan, who needed surgery for teratoma. Baobei also provides aftercare for babies who have had surgery and have told us that Baby Rose is recovering well!
Thank you so much to everyone who took part with the fundraiser, as this will be life-changing for Baby Rose.
Baby Rose
Funding a Children's Art Project in Romania
The Atelier Sacelean Association helps underprivileged children in Sacele. Oana, a Romanian volunteer at the Association wanted to run an art project over the summer. She was able to sell some of the items made, to fundraise for the Association! This is great as local fundraising is more sustainable and, also, Oana has been able to pass on her artistic skills to others. We raised one hundred and twenty-five pounds at a cake sale at the College of Law, Bloomsbury, to fund the project. Many thanks to everyone who made the cakes and to the College of Law for allowing the fundraiser to go ahead.
One of the many pieces from the art project.
Linking a Local Transport Business with a Creche in South Africa
Charmaine Alexander, who runs a transport business in Cape Town, mostly drives volunteers. She found out about Seawind Educare, which CHW supports, when she was driving our founder, Catherine, to the creche. The creche is run for children who live in townships and the Cape Flats - the most disadvantaged areas in Cape Town. Charmaine has donated children's clothes and food to the creche, and will continue to do so whenever she can. Catherine recommends Charmaine and her other drivers if anyone needs transport services in Cape Town!
Charmaine, who donated clothes and food to the creche
Distribution of Clothes and Teddies to Two Organisations in Ghana
Children at New Life International Children's Home with the clothes and soft toys.
Thank you to everyone who donated children's clothing. The clothes went to New Life International Children's Home, in the village of Ansapatu. Thank you to our Appeals Assistant, Marie-Lise Despeghel, who accepted a donation of soft toys on behalf of CHW. These toys went to the youngest children at the Home. We are also grateful for a donation of knitted teddies which were given to the children at Sankofa Mbofra Fie, which runs a school and orphanage in the village of Eguafo. Thank you to everyone for your generosity!
One of the girls at Sankofa with her new teddy.
Distribution of Baby Clothes and Special Sensory Toys for Organisations in China
We were able to donate the clothes and toys to two organisations in China. Many thanks to Sarah McGee who donated some gorgeous baby clothes! The clothes were given to the Baobei Foundation, which helps orphans, born with critical neurological and gastro-intestinal disorders, to have the surgeries they need and also provides them with the necessary aftercare.
The special sensory toys went to the children’s rehabilitation centre we support in Shanghai. The centre mainly helps children with cerebral palsy and autism. Below is a photo of the centre’s director, Gao Ya Li, accepting the donation.
Director of the Rehabilitation Centre, Gao Ya Li, with the special sensory toys.
Thank you to everyone who made these donations possible
Distribution of Toys and Clothes to Three Organisations in Romania
Many thanks to everyone who gave toys and clothes. All the babies’ and toddlers’ clothes were given to the Atelier Sacelean Association, which has a care project at the Sacele Hospital.
The rest of the clothes were given to a family supported by another organisation, FAST. This family has ten children and lives in abject poverty in the village of Tarlungeni. The donation included coats, boots and shoes, as well as other clothes. CHW ran the Ten for Ten Campaign to help this family. Details of this can be seen under FAST’s section on our ‘Romania’ page.
The seven youngest children of the family, wearing some of the donated items of clothing
The toys were given to the children at the Home, Casa Mea. The children there were very happy to get them!
Thank you to everyone who donated clothes and toys and to Agnieszka Perkins and Mark Cochrane who ran clothes collections at their work.
2010:
Benches and Tables for a Children’s Home and School in Ghana
New Life International Children’s Home in Ghana now has new benches and tables and an extended area for the children to eat! Many thanks to Agnieszka Perkins and Mark Cochrane for holding a fundraiser at their work, and to Emma Hughes who had a fundraiser at the School of Human and Health Sciences at Swansea University, where she was working. Many thanks to our Patron Ottilia Saxl who gave a donation, which meant we had the amount we needed for this project. Thanks to the director of the children’s home, Derrick Fletcher-Gaisie, for sending us the photos.
Repairing Computers at an Educational Project in Romania
We were happy to be able to send a donation to the Atelier Sacelean Association, so they could have their computers repaired. This organisation runs an education centre to enable underprivileged children in the area of Sacele, near Brasov, to learn new skills and get help with school work.
A girl using one of the computers at the educational centre
Providing Food for Children at a School and Orphanage in Ghana
This organisation runs a school and an orphanage in the village of Eguafo, in Ghana. Over the past couple of years, we have had some small regular donations to give to Sankofa and we hope to be able to continue to give more, to help Sankofa provide food for the children. Thank you to those who have been supporting Sankofa.
The children getting some food during breaktime.
Funeral for a Child in South Africa
This was the saddest appeal CHW has ever held. The funeral was for Lisle Augis, aged 11, who was a child supported by an organisation we work with in South Africa, The Future Factory. Lisle was an amazing little girl, who had been so through so much in her short life. At 7 years old, she suffered an abusive incident at the hands of her father’s best friend, and was then set alight and left to die. She actually survived and the director of the Future Factory, Anne Siroky, had been helping to support her progress ever since. However, due to reckless driving, the minibus she took to school crashed into a train in 2010. She was among the ten children who died as a result. The family lives in poverty and could not afford a funeral. Thank you so much to everyone who donated. The funeral took place, and the family, including Lisle’s little brother, Jessie, was able to say goodbye to their beautiful girl.
Lisle, with her little brother, Jessie. The clothes and soccer ball were donated by CHW. Our partner organisation in South Africa, the Future Factory, continues to support Jessie.
Thanks to Benyam Mezmur, who found out about the funeral through CHW’s director, Catherine, for letting his colleagues at the University of the Western Cape and the Community Law Centre know that the Future Factory needed funds to pay for the funeral and for organising a collection. Thanks to everyone who gave. As Benyam was in Cape Town, he was able to give the contribution directly to the Future Factory.
Distribution of Toys in Romania, South Africa and Ghana
Marie-Lise Despeghel received a donation of soft toys on behalf of CHW from John Lias. The toys went to children at Casa Mea in Romania, New Life International Children’s Home in Ghana and Seawind Educare in South Africa! Volunteers can take things to the children when they visit projects. CHW’s director Catherine was able to take the toys to Romania and South Africa, and one of CHW's trustees, Emma Hughes, took the rest with her on her visit to Ghana.
Children in Romania, South Africa and Ghana enjoy playing with the toys!
Distribution of Educational Items and Donation for a School in Argentina
We were able to distribute donated educational items to Floerntino Ameghino school in Argentina. Thanks to Jana Liebau and Marie-Lise Despeghel for organising collections of these items and to Des Poon Wai Wam for the colouring sheets from McDonalds.
At the same time, we were also able to give a financial contribution, which bought globes and maps for geography lessons and a flag for the children to celebrate the Day of the National Flag!
Cecilia, a teacher at the school, sorting through the donated pencils, to give some to every class.
Children looking at the globe.
Distribution of Clothes, Toys and Recorders to Three Organisations in Romania
Many thanks to everyone who donated items for the children we work with in Romania. CHW’s director, Catherine, was able to distribute the items on her trip there.
A donation of clothes was given to the Atelier Sacelean Association and to FAST. These clothes were then distributed to children from Roma families who are living in extreme poverty. Thanks to everyone who donated children's and babies' clothing.
FAST also runs a music project for children from the Roma communities. Thanks to Anne Nadel and Michelle Masters for donating recorders for this project.
Marie-Lise Despeghel was given a donation of toys and some of these were given to the children's home, Casa Mea.
Cristina at Casa Mea with her new toy rabbit.
Thank you to all who donated items. The children were delighted!
Providing a Carer's Salary for a Children's Home in Romania
We were able to give a donation of one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds to the children's home, Casa Mea, in Romania, which helped them to pay the salary of a carer to work with the children there for a year. We hope to raise funds for the salary again next year. The carer, who was a street child herself, can really understand the children’s needs. The children all come from difficult backgrounds and it is essential that there is the staff to be able to work with them.
We were able to give this donation with the help of the following people: our patron, Steve Parkinson, who held a fundraiser in the UK; Jana Liebau who arranged a charity concert in Germany; all of the bag packing volunteers who helped at our fundraiser in the UK; and Marie-Lise Despeghel who made a contribution.
Some of the children at Casa Mea.
Providing Food for Children at a Creche in South Africa
We were able to donate part of the money raised at a bag packing fundraiser in Camden, London, to Seawind Educare in Cape Town, South Africa. The director of the creche, Rita Benjamin, bought food for the children, as can be seen in the photo below. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at the fundraiser and thanks to Rita for sending us photos of all the food she bought for the children!
Food for the children at Seawind Educare, Cape Town.
Donation for an Educational Project in Romania
We were able to give a donation to the Atelier Sacelan Association, which runs an education centre for underprivileged children. The donation went towards resources for the centre, including pens, paper, other materials and laminator pouches, so that worksheets can be re-used.
CHW Appeals Assistant, Marie-Lise Despeghel, reading with one of the children helped by the Atelier Sacelean Associaion
Many thanks to everyone who joined in with our coin collection to make this donation possible! We raised four hundred and sixty three pounds and sixty six pence. Thank you to those who came to our cash-in and coffee event and to those who ran coin collections. This includes Marie-Lise Despeghel, who ran a collections at her work, American Express, at Telecom House and Amex House, in Brighton, Mara Gheorghe, who ran a collection at University College London and Emma Hughes who ran a collection in Swansea, Wales. Special mention should go to Sue and Steve and Jonathan and Paula who donated massive jars of coins to Emma's collection!
Building a Classroom for a School in Ghana
New Life International Children’s Home runs a school for the children that live there and also for children from the surrounding villages. Building a new classroom, as an extension to the school, means that there is now more space to accommodate the ever-growing number of children attending, allowing them to get a better quality education.
A big thank you to the Marr-Munning Trust, which gave us a grant of one thousand pounds towards building the classroom, to our patron, Steve Parkinson, for holding a fundraiser for the classroom and to all the individuals who gave donations. It is so very much appreciated. The building work was overseen by Derrick Fletcher Gaisie and Jacqueline Hinson, who run the Home. Thanks to Derrick for sending us photos so we could keep you all updated!
The new classroom!
Donation for Food and Contribution towards Teachers' Salaries in Ghana
We were able to give a donation of three hundred pounds to Sankofa Mbofra Fie in Ghana. This organisation runs a school and an orphanage. The donation went towards buying food for the children at the orphanage and school and also towards helping to pay the salaries of the teachers. It is essential that the children can gain an education.
Some of the schoolchildren with their teacher
This donation was raised through fundraising efforts of Ben Siegelman and also through a fundraising dinner held by Louise Lam. We would like to thank the manager of the Dragon City Chinese Restaurant in Alperton, London, for letting Louise hold the fundraiser there. It is greatly appreciated.
The Future Factory in Cape Town runs many programmes for children coming from deprived areas. One of its major initiatives is to run sports schemes for underprivileged children. It ran an appeal asking people to donate money to buy soccer balls and CHW held a coin collection to be able to make a donation. We raised four hundred and twenty eight pounds - all in small change! A big thank you to everyone who took part. Special thanks to those who attended our Cash-in and Coffee Event and to Marie-Lise Despeghel for running a collection at her work, the American Express office in Brighton, and to Jana Liebau for running the collection in Germany.
The sports programmes are run for children of all ages
As well as being good for their health and developing their teamwork skills, taking part in a sports programme keeps children off the street and away from the temptation of crime, which is a big problem in South Africa.
Clothes Distribution in South Africa
Thank you to everyone who gave clothes. They were given to the Future Factory, one of the organisations we support in Cape Town. The clothes were distributed to individual families helped by the Future Factory and also to children attending programmes supported by the organisation.
Clothes given to children at Seawind Educare. CHW already worked with Seawind Educare, and has now linked them with the Future Factory, which will offer them support too.
Creating a Partnership between two South African Organisations
CHW works with both The Future Factory and Seawind Educare in Cape Town. On a visit there, CHW's director, Catherine Franks, introduced the founders of both organisations to each other. The Future Factory runs many diverse programmes and also supports smaller organisations which help children. The Future Factory will now work with Seawind Educare, giving the creche donations of food, whenever possible, and helping its director, Rita, to arrange activities for the children. For example, the Future Factory arranged for the creche to have a bouncy castle when Rita wanted to hold a Christmas party for the children and helped arrange a "surf walk" in March, among other things.
Anne Siroky, director of the Future Factory, and Rita Benjamin, director of Seawind Educare, will now work together, helping to improve the lives of children in Cape Town.
The Martin family, whom Catherine stayed with, are involved with the Future Factory, and Mrs Martin helps collect food, storing it at her house, for the director, Anne, to distribute. The following picture shows her with just some of the food she collected, which was given to Seawind Educare.
Mrs Martin with loaves of bread to distribute. These, and many other food items, were given to Seawind Educare through the Future Factory.
Arranging a Volunteer Trip to Romania
From left to right: Anna, Catherine, Marie-Lise and Jess, with children at Casa Mea
The director of the Atelier Sacelean Association, Cristina Birsan, wanted to develop her international volunteer scheme, so we at CHW arranged a volunteer trip to assist with this. During this time, the group worked at the hospital project run by the Atelier Sacelean Association and also with children at a Home run by another organisation which CHW supports, called Casa Mea. Two volunteers, Jess Waite and Marie-Lise Despeghel (who is now our Appeals Assistant) came with CHW trustee Anna Booth and director, Catherine Franks on the trip.
Marie-Lise and Anna from CHW with Cristina and Ioana from the Atelier Sacelean Association
Legal Advice for Organisation in Romania
CHW trustee Anna Booth, has arranged for Cristina Birsan, the director of the Atelier Sacelean Association, to have free legal advice for her organisation. This is useful for if she wants to draw up or enter contracts or make applications for various things. Anna has a training contract with a large international law firm, and Cristina can contact the lawyers at the Bucherest firm whenever she needs. We would like to say a big thank you to Anna for arranging this, and to the lawyers in the London headquarters and in Bucharest for allowing this pro bono work to go ahead.
Anna helping on the babies' ward at one of the projects run by Cristina Birsan.
Clothes Distribution in Romania
Babies' and children's clothes were collected to help the underprivileged children of Sacele, Brasov County. The babies' clothes were used by the local hospital, while the children's clothes were given to the children in the hospital and to other children in the nearby Roma community. Anna Booth, a trustee of CHW, made a trip to Sacele, with our director, Catherine Franks. They were able to start distributing the clothes. Cristina Birsan, the director of the local organisation we work with, the Atelier Sacelean Association, continued giving out the clothes. Over the past year, we were able to give clothes to the Atelier Sacelean Association three times, as volunteers going there took the clothes for us.
CHW Trustee, Anna Booth, giving a coat to a Roma mother for her baby
We would like to thank the following people for arranging collections:
The employees of Pershing in Liverpool and London.
Agnieszka Perkins who arranged a clothes collection at her work.
Marie-Lise Despeghel, who arranged a clothes collection at her work, at American Express, Telecom House, in Brighton.
Thank you to all those who gave.
We also want to thank all of the individuals who donated clothes, both at our fundraising event, the Children's Fun Day, and at other times. Your generosity is very much appreciated and will make a difference in the lives of children who really need help.
We raised six hundred and twenty pounds to donate to this project, by holding a Children's Fun Day in London. We would like to thank all of those who came, and everyone who volunteered on the day. The donation supported the work of the local organisation, the Atelier Sacelean Association, in an under resourced hospital in Sacele. The Association used the funding to buy pyjamas, slippers and blankets for the babies and children, as well as general cleaning products for the hospital. They also bought paint for volunteers to decorate the babies' ward. The babies are left in their cots for long periods of time, and now have something stimulating to look at. Most of the babies and children admitted to the hospital come from the nearby Roma community, and live in poverty.
A young mother with her baby. Supporting the Hospital Project allows babies like this one to receive better care when they fall ill.
Some of the painting done by volunteers, so that the babies in their cots have something to look at.
School Items for Children in Argentina
Louvre blades were put in the windows of New Life International Orphanage in Ghana. This was made possible due to a grant given to us by the Marr-Munning Trust. The louvre blades keep out both the rain and the mosquitoes, allowing the children to sleep peacefully at night.
Providing Sewing Machines for an Orphanage in Ghana
Sewing machines have now been provided for the children of New Life International Orphanage in Ghana. Sewing is a useful skill in Cape Coast, the town closest to the orphanage. The daughter of the founder of the orphanage, Jacqueline Hinson, used to work as a seamstress and will teach the children how to sew. This will give the children a skill which will allow them to provide for themselves once they have grown up and left the orphanage.
Jacqueline teaching Belinda to sew
Building a Playground at an Orphanage in Ghana
A playground was built for the children of New Life International Orphanage in Ghana. The children enjoy playing in it very much!
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped at our bag packing fundraiser at Morrisons in Aberystwyth which started off the fundraising for this project! We would also like to thank Steve Parkinson for his involvement with fundraising for the playground. His help with both donating and raising awareness, so others could also donate was invaluable.
Installation of a Water Storage Tank at a Ghanaian Orphanage
The children at New Life International Orphanage, Ghana, will now always have a clean supply of water. Many thanks to Steve Parkinson, who very generously funded this project.
Installation of Electricity at an Orphanage in Ghana
The necessary equipment for New Life International Orphanage, Ghana, to have electricity was installed.
Providing Tables and Books for a Ghanaian Orphanage
Esther, 7, of New Life International Orphanage, Ghana, can be seen using both in the picture below.
Giving out Teddies at a Ghanaian Orphanage
Teddies for Tragedies donated teddies for the younger children at New Life International Orphanage, Ghana. Click here to visit their website.
Distributing Clothes at Two Orphanages in Ghana
Thank you to everyone who donated clothes. They were distributed to New Life International Orphanage and Sankofa Mbofra Fie, both near Cape Coast, in Ghana. We also had a donation of bed sheets which were given to New Life International Orphanage.
Photos: Left: The children of New Life International Orphanage hold up the clothes! Right: Two boys from Sankofa Mbofra Fie with the clothes they were given.