Bread and Water for Africa

The UK’s no1 rated ethical florist, Arena Flowers, and UK charity Bread & Water for Africa UK join forces to ‘Plant a Better Future for African Children’.

With the rise of the socially conscious consumer, and greater emphasis on businesses to improve their impact on the planet and #BuildBackBetter post Covid, Arena Flowers is holding the baton for others to follow, through a commitment to support communities in its supplier country of Kenya.

Arena Flowers is proud to support the work of Bread and Water for Africa UK (BWAUK) - a small but highly impactful charity who exists solely to provide access to international support for community-led projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To date, the charity has provided fresh water to 69,785 people and put 8800 children through school in 7 of the world’s most impoverished countries. Their vision is ‘for every child and every family in Africa to pursue their dreams and live a life free of poverty.’ Working together with Arena Flowers, they will provide lasting change for some of Africa's most vulnerable children in Kenya where 42% of the population live below the poverty line and, as a result of the global pandemic, the incidences of abandoned and orphaned children are growing.

The country is a leading exporter of cut flowers and is home to Bread & Water for Africa’s most long-standing project, Lewa Children’s Home and School. Arena Flowers is committed to supporting the sustainable development of the project over the next 12 months through funding and awareness raising. They will provide essential donations towards the running of the Farm to provide food for the children, urgent repairs of the Children’s home to keep them safe, and an entire years’ fees to put 100 children through school.

Together, the partnership fulfils three goals of Arena Flowers: The first is improving source market communities through sustainable consumerism and fair trade. The second is to do this through support of a trusted charity, like BWA, who promise ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ to their project partners - asking them what they need. Thirdly, to deliver meaningful change through sustainable partnerships that make a long-term positive investment to ensure local community empowerment for years to come.

John Hackett, CEO, Arena Flowers shares his support of the partnership: “Flowers are a luxury item of western culture, but many are outsourced from community growers overseas. Arena Flowers believe that it is important to give back more than we take, through fully sustainable and fair supplier relationships in support of local communities. We’re especially proud to be ranked as the UK’s most ethical florist, with a perfect 100 score on the Ethical Company Index three years in a row. To support the incredible work of this organisation is a powerful way we can truly demonstrate our ethos and inspire others to follow.”

Ruby Glasspool, CEO, Bread & Water for Africa tells us: “Our African partners are our heroes. They work tirelessly to improve the lives of children and families in their communities, often in very difficult circumstances. Without incredible partnerships like Arena Flowers, this work simply wouldn’t happen. The funds from Arena Flowers will become real, tangible and life changing results for Lewa and we couldn’t be more grateful.”

This partnership promises to provide orphans and vulnerable children with food, shelter, medical care, first-class education, and a loving family environment. From the most heart-wrenching beginnings, children at Lewa are nurtured to become happy, healthy, responsible and independent.

Every child needs access to a daily meal and the chance of an education. Yet right now, in Africa, many children miss out on their one meal, and the chance of a place at school simply because they do not have the clothes or shoes required to attend.

It seems unthinkable that a child in the UK could go to school in torn clothes, but in Africa, for many children, this is their reality. They go to school without a uniform, and worse still, they often go barefoot in the only clothes they own. In fact 20% of children are able to finish primary school as most families cannot afford the costs.

Bread & Water for Africa (BWAUK) aims to change that and is now calling for urgent donations this September to cover the cost of a precious school uniform, and vital books and stationary they need to ensure 100 children can access their precious place at school. Please donate today if you can.

The small but highly impactful UK-based organisation relies solely on donations to provide international support for community-led projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. To date, BWAUK has provided fresh water to 69,785 people and put 8,800 children through school in 7 of the world’s most impoverished countries, including Kenya where 42% of the population live below the poverty line. Their vision is ‘for every child and every family in Africa to pursue their dreams and live a life free of poverty’.

Right now, there are even more children in need as the incidences of abandoned and orphaned children have risen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June of this year the charity received a very kind, one-off donation from Arena Flowers, the UK’s most ethical florist, which paid for a school place for 100 orphaned and abandoned children at Lewa’s Children Home in Kenya. However, the charity remains in urgent need of funds to cover the cost of the school uniform and vital books and stationary needed for the children to participate and learn.

A treasured uniform means so much to these children. It is often the only item of clothing they possess. It creates pride and equality amongst the students, rather than separation. Perhaps even more heartbreaking is the fact that many have no money to afford shoes which puts them at great risk of infection and contracting serious illnesses which can in turn lead to severe disabilities.

Without these simple things, many will stay stuck in a cycle of poverty, even though a single pair of shoes and a school uniform could transform their futures.

This is precisely why Bread & Water for Africa are asking for urgent help to buy 100 children a precious school uniform, shoes and vital books and stationery they need in time for the start of school. The cost of these essentials is just £4,800 in total, so please give whatever you can, as soon as you are able, online today and you will make a BIG difference:

• £9 will buy a child a pair of shoes

• £12 will pay for their books and stationery

• £36 will pay for one child’s entire uniform and shoes

"Incredibly, no matter their adversity, the children at Lewa are always smiling! Their joy and elation at receiving a school place and equipment and clothes is remarkable! We would like to support some of their basic needs so their energy for life can thrive even more." Ruby Glasspool, CEO

Please donate to Bread & Water for Africa’s Back to School appeal today! With your help, we can put a smile on the face of these precious children and give them a chance at a brighter future. Thank you!