Aidlink

Aidlink is an Irish charity that exists to improve the lives of those living in poverty in Africa. In 2022, we marked our 40th year in operation. We have evolved from an entirely voluntary organisation working on short-term development projects in up to 17 countries, to the Aidlink of today, with a small but committed team of staff based in Dublin, investing in long-term, sustainable development programmes. Working through a tested partnership model with African community-based NGOs, we deliver life-changing programmes, strengthening the capacity of communities and delivering sustainable results. Aidlink targets the most isolated and marginalised in society, empowering communities to take greater control over their lives and livelihoods. In recent years, we have concentrated our work in three countries: Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, with a particular focus on the traditionally nomadic pastoralist communities, the Masai and Turkana in Kenya and the Karamajong in Uganda. Aidlink is particularly committed to supporting women and girls and tackling harmful cultural practices that impede on their education, agency, personal choices and basic human rights. We believe that by putting the furthest behind first – often girls – we can support entire communities’ growth. Education has always been at the heart of what we do. That involves working with communities to improve children’s chances of getting a good education, as well as supporting education and learning within communities more broadly. Together with our partners, Aidlink works to address the barriers that prevent children from attending school and reaching their full potential. Our programmes aim to increase enrolment and retention in schools, as well as to improve education outcomes. This includes addressing tangible barriers that impede children from attending school, by providing water facilities, building inclusive bathrooms with disability access, handwashing facilities and changing rooms, and supplying sanitary pads. We provide school meals to thousands of children, so that hunger is not a reason to miss class. We also address the social and cultural barriers that cause children, especially young girls, to drop-out of school, working to promote gender equality and rights based education. Students, teachers and Boards of Management receive training to support a child-friendly learning environment; communities are sensitised on the harm of cultural practices like early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) and on the value of education. Through community volunteers and leaders, we identify out-of-school children – particularly girls and children with disabilities – and support them to enrol back in school.