80 sponsored children in 2026!
Eighty orphaned and vulnerable children will be fully sponsored through school in Eswatini on the Lifting Spirits’ programme in 2026 – thanks to all our supporters!
This is a 40% increase on the number of children Lifting Spirits supported in 2025 and covers all school fees, uniform, books and stationery.
This includes the continued education of the 58 children who were on the programme in 2025, as well as 22 new students. We cannot overstate how meaningful it is for the children – all of whom are experiencing grief, trauma and poverty – to have this stability.
“This support is very literally changing lives. It moves the needle towards a completely different future that these children – full of their own dreams and hopes – had zero chance of before, all due to circumstances far from their own control,” said Michelle Meineke, Founder and Co-Director of Lifting Sprits.
“It simply would not be possible to have these eighty children in school next year without the vast generosity of our sponsors – more than 60 big-hearted souls! – and our amazing partners on the ground who work so hard to make sure those most in need are on the programme,” added Michelle.
Lifting Spirits was founded in 2013 with an initial focus on uplifting the mindsets of those struggling in orphanages, hospices and hospitals in Eswatini by using positive imagery. Witnessing a huge need in education, the charity changed direction in 2019 to focus on helping orphans and vulnerable children get into classrooms. ‘Our story’ on the website shares more details about how the charity has evolved.
“We believe in empowering these incredible children – who have experienced extremely tough times, and many still do – with the tools they need to change their own lives. Having an education is a crucial step in this process; they simply cannot reshape their futures without it. The support from our Lifting Spirits Community makes all the difference,” said James Barry, Co-Director of Lifting Spirits.
Lifting Spirits is looking forward to sharing more details about our key sponsors in 2026, thanking them for their belief and support in the programme and most importantly, in the children.
Being on the Lifting Spirits’ programme brings many benefits beyond the classroom. It means each child gets one guaranteed meal a day at school in a country where food poverty remains a daily reality. Plus, they are off the streets away from sex trafficking and gangs. They are also exposed to positive mindset sessions where they can think of their futures differently, breaking away from generational habits.
Seeing children proudly put on their school uniform every day – the only brand new outfit most of them own – also uplifts the esteem of the entire community, which has a positive domino effect on younger generations.
The Lifting Spirits’ team has eighty years of combined experience in the charity sector and operates on an entirely unpaid, volunteer basis. Every single penny raised goes to the children only – their school fees, uniform, stationery and books. Our founders, Michelle and James, personally cover the charity’s running costs.
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%.
