Weseehope

Charity Number: 1079385

Annual Expenditure: £0.9M
Geographic Focus: Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £923,859 (2023/2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (partnership-based selection)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no open application process)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed
  • Geographic Focus: East Africa (Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda)
  • Number of Partners: 13 local NGOs

Contact Details

Website: https://www.weseehope.org.uk/

Registered Charity Number: 1079385

Legal Form: Charitable company (Company Number: 03926278)

Note: WeSeeHope does not have a public application process. Contact details for partnership inquiries are not publicly listed on their website.

Overview

Founded in 2000, WeSeeHope is a UK-based international development organization committed to creating sustainable change for vulnerable children across East Africa. With total income of approximately £1 million annually (£1,021,654 in 2023/2024), the organization operates through a partnership-based grant-making model, providing funding and technical support to 13 local partner NGOs across Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda. Over their 25-year history, WeSeeHope has collaborated with over 100 local partner NGOs and community-based organizations across 13 countries in Africa, running programmes in over 2,000 communities that have benefitted more than 728,000 children. The organization raises 100% of its income from voluntary sources including corporate partners (21%), individual donors, trusts and foundations, and community groups, with total funds raised exceeding £28.6 million since founding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

WeSeeHope provides funding to local partner NGOs to deliver community-led programs for vulnerable children. In 2023/2024, they spent £923,859 on programmes and partners who deliver them. Funding is provided through long-term partnerships rather than competitive grant rounds.

Key program areas funded through partners include:

  • Pre-School Programme: Early childhood education initiatives
  • Kids' Club Programme: After-school activities and support
  • Child Rights Programme: Education about children's rights through school clubs and community outreach
  • Child Headed Households Programme: Support for children caring for siblings
  • Street Work Programme: Interventions for street-connected children
  • Vocational Training Programme: Skills development for young people
  • Village Investors Programme (VIP): Women's economic empowerment through savings groups and micro-loans (introduced 2014)

Priority Areas

  • Education for vulnerable children in rural and isolated areas
  • Child rights and protection
  • Economic empowerment for families and communities
  • Support for children living in extreme poverty
  • Programs for street-connected children
  • Women's empowerment and enterprise development
  • Community capacity building and sustainability

Geographic Focus

Currently active in four countries:

  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda

Specifically targets rural and isolated areas where children face poverty, lack of access to basic necessities, and exploitation.

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified, but given their focused mission on vulnerable children in East Africa through local partners, they do not fund:

  • Organizations outside East Africa
  • Programs not focused on vulnerable children
  • Direct applications from organizations not within their partnership network
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Governance and Leadership

WeSeeHope is governed by 8 trustees and employs 8 staff members (one earning £80,000-£90,000).

The organization operates with transparency, submitting independently audited annual accounts to both Companies House and the Charity Commission. They are registered with the Fundraising Regulator, demonstrating commitment to ethical fundraising practices.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

WeSeeHope does not have a public application process. The organization selects and develops partnerships with local NGOs through their own due diligence and relationship-building processes rather than through open grant applications.

Partnerships are long-term relationships. Recent examples include new partnerships announced in October 2024 with Undugu Kilifi in Kenya and Y-Malawi in Malawi, suggesting that WeSeeHope actively identifies and approaches potential partners based on their work and alignment with WeSeeHope's mission.

Partnership Approach

Once partnerships are established, WeSeeHope works closely with partners through:

  • Reviewing proposals and budgets for specific programs
  • Providing technical support
  • Implementing robust monitoring and evaluation processes
  • Building local capacity for program independence

WeSeeHope's stated approach emphasizes community ownership: "Community volunteers and leaders are always key stakeholders of our programmes, involved in management from day one and given the training to be able to run all activities independently over four years, at which point we 'exit' the communities."

Getting on Their Radar

WeSeeHope identifies potential partners through sector networks and their existing knowledge of local NGOs working with vulnerable children in East Africa. Recent partnership announcements show they seek organizations with:

  • Established track record: Y-Malawi, for example, has been working “since 2007” to “promote and pursue sustainable change in communities across the country”
  • Mission alignment: Focus on vulnerable children, women and girls, and community empowerment
  • Local presence and knowledge: Deep community connections in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, or Uganda
  • Complementary expertise: Organizations working on education, child rights, street children, or economic empowerment

Local NGOs in East Africa working in WeSeeHope's priority areas may consider:

  • Building a strong track record of impact with vulnerable children in their communities
  • Developing relationships within the East African child development sector
  • Demonstrating community-led approaches and sustainability planning
  • Showcasing alignment with WeSeeHope's program areas (education, child rights, economic empowerment)

However, there is no formal process for applying to become a partner, and WeSeeHope appears to proactively identify organizations rather than accepting unsolicited partnership proposals.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - partnerships are developed through relationship building rather than application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no open application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no open application process.

Application Success Factors

Since WeSeeHope does not accept open applications, success in securing partnership is based on:

  1. Strong local presence: Partners must be established local NGOs or community-based organizations with deep community connections in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, or Uganda
  1. Mission alignment: Clear focus on vulnerable children, particularly in rural and isolated areas facing poverty and exploitation
  1. Community-led approach: Demonstrated commitment to involving community volunteers and leaders in program management from the outset
  1. Sustainability planning: Evidence of building local capacity so programs can continue independently (WeSeeHope's model involves a four-year engagement leading to community-run programs)
  1. Program expertise: Experience in one or more of WeSeeHope's core program areas: education, child rights, economic empowerment, support for street-connected children
  1. Long-term vision: WeSeeHope seeks partners for sustained relationships, not one-off projects
  1. Accountability: Ability to work with proposal review, budgeting, and robust monitoring and evaluation processes

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - WeSeeHope operates through invitation-only partnerships with local East African NGOs
  • Partnership model, not grant rounds - Funding flows through long-term partnerships (currently 13 partners) rather than competitive grants
  • Geographic limitation - Only organizations working in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, or Uganda are within scope
  • Local NGO focus - WeSeeHope specifically partners with local (East African) NGOs and community-based organizations, not international NGOs
  • Community ownership is central - Programs must emphasize community leadership and capacity building toward independence
  • Substantial annual funding available - Nearly £1 million in program spending annually distributed among 13 partners suggests significant funding per partnership
  • For UK organizations: WeSeeHope is a funder recipient, not a funder - UK charities should approach them as a peer organization or potential donor, not a grant-maker for UK work

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References