£20,000 raised – five years early!
We are so grateful to have now raised £20,000, enabling us to fully sponsor 50 orphans and vulnerable children in school in Eswatini this year. This is five years early on our 2030 target!
Dozens of big-hearted individuals and companies have stepped forward to make this a reality and the Lifting Spirits team is blown away by their kindness. They are truly moving the needle for the lives of 50 children.
“We are elated to reach this fundraising milestone of £20,000 a year. It shows the kind gestures that people make every day and how we all value the positive power of education, no matter who we are or where we are in the world,” said Michelle Meineke, the Founder and Co-Director of Lifting Spirits.
Along with our kind donors, reaching this target early has been possible thanks to our close partnership with our partner in Eswatini, the Moya Centre. An inspiring team of dedicated professionals, the Moya Centre’s approach and strict diligence means we can work together to scale quickly in the local communities and schools in Eswatini.
“The children the donors are supporting are incredible and their attitude inspires every one of us. We are all looking forward to a fruitful 2025 amidst a busy fundraising year for 2026,” said James Barry, Co-Director at Lifting Spirits.
“This is just the beginning, for there are thousands and thousands of remarkable children in need. They change their lives when they have the tools to do so – and the greatest tool is an education.”
It is almost impossible to quantify the far-reaching impact just one donation can have – on individuals, families and communities across Eswatini. To multiply this by fifty, and more in 2026, results in an enormous impact for generations to come.
Michelle and James personally cover all the charity’s expenses, such as marketing and bank transfers. This means that 100% of donations go to the children only; no ifs, ands or buts.
Many thanks to all our donors and the organisations that have generously supported us with discounted products, including our logo by Marna Van Rensburg at Koru Designs Botswana (free of charge), our website by Clare Dawe at Owl and Bear and branded t-shirts by The Print Company Oxford.
Our Education Manager - Thammy Dlamini
Lifting Spirits
The team at Lifting Spirits raise money to send orphaned and very vulnerable children to school in Eswatini, a country in southern Africa. Eswatini has one of the world’s highest number of orphans and is one of the world’s poorest nations, yet it is full of children with big smiles and a huge desire to learn. Our fundraising pays for school fees, uniforms, book hire and stationery. We have a Lifting Spirits’ team on-the-ground in Eswatini and we work very closely with our Swazi partners. Every single penny donated goes to the children. 100%.