However much and however often you like! There is no set amount, nor a set schedule. We gratefully welcome any support possible. For context, it costs approximately £400 a year to send one child to school. Whether your kind donation covers the year or a small portion of it, it will make a difference.

As part of the Lifting Spirits team, Michelle and James personally cover the administrative costs to ensure that all donations have a direct route to school children in Eswatini. The costs they personally cover include website development, bank transfers, marketing, the team’s expenses on the ground in Eswatini and any other bills that arise. Plus, a portion of profits from Michelle and James’ property business, Find My Place, are donated to Lifting Spirits. The benefit of being a small organisation is that we know where every penny goes. Your kind donation will not disappear into a black hole.

We have very clear and transparent accounting practices, which we will happily share.

Yes! If you are sponsoring a child in full for the year – be it individually, as a family and friends group or a corporate sponsorship – then we will introduce them to you. You’ll receive up-to-date photos and details on how they are every few months, as well as updates on the other activities Lifting Spirits arranges. You’re very welcome to send a photo and message back to them if you like. 

Our team in Eswatini will be on-hand to let you know how they are getting on and when they graduate – the golden moment!

If you are kindly donating, but not the full sponsorship, then you will also receive updates on how the children within Lifting Spirits are doing every few months. 

Please see Join our Community! for the full list of updates and engagements that Lifting Spirits provides.

Plus, Michelle and James, our Founder and Directors, hold regular online meetings to share their thanks for your support and where you can share any questions you have.

And of course, we’re here to talk any time, so please reach out.

Education recently became free for most primary school children – a brilliant step! However, thousands of carers or families do not have the funds to support an education at secondary school, let alone college and university. Some of the fees are paid for by the government, but far from all. Lifting Spirits pays the rest of the school fees – plus uniforms, stationery and book hire – so that students can continue their education. Today, many students have had to leave school once they reach secondary level; there simply isn’t the financial means to carry on.

Learning our “ABCs” at school when we are very young is important, but it is not enough to be able to get a good job and support a family. Imagine if your education stopped at primary school; there are so, so many skills and lessons one would not have. This is where Lifting Spirits steps in; helping children have the best chance possible by getting them back in the classroom.

We would love to talk to you! We completely understand that you want to be confident that your money is going to a genuine cause, where it will really make a difference. Let’s pop on a call and Michelle or James will happily walk you through the ins and outs so you can feel happy deciding your next step.

Simply get in touch with us on our contact page - we’d love to hear from you!