The Sparkle Foundation is marking May as its ‘month of celebration’ after reaching its sixth year of supporting vulnerable children across Malawi.
The UK-based charity celebrated its 6th birthday on Sunday 16th May 2021. Over the past six years, Sparkle has provided 500,000+ meals to vulnerable children and educated more than 250 children every day. In addition, the charity has treated over 7,000 medical cases, including screening up to 2,500 women for cervical cancer.
Sarah Brook, CEO and Founder of Sparkle, commented: “When the pandemic hit, it was a pivotal sink or swim moment for many charities. It was clear Sparkle would be impacted by the loss of donations from both individuals and businesses during this difficult time. However, we are absolutely delighted to say that we have overcome those initial challenges and are now ready to celebrate our 6th birthday with Malawians and the people who have continued to support us throughout this journey.”
Turning six is no small achievement for The Sparkle Foundation. With 40% of small charities in the UK expected to close by the end of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity has been fortunate to receive additional volunteering help through the UK furlough scheme and continuous support from its corporate partners.
“We’d like to thank our corporate partners,” added Sarah. “Without their fundraising and volunteering support from the beginning, we wouldn’t have been able to achieve the incredible success Sparkle has seen over the last six years. This support has enabled us to take over 200 people around the world to Malawi as volunteers.”
Since its inception, The Sparkle Foundation has worked with several companies in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the UK to create bespoke CSR initiatives that have sustainable impact. Cornelius Group has been a corporate partner with Sparkle since 2017 and its generous contributions have made a real difference to communities in Malawi.
Dr Neville Prior, Chairman at Cornelius Group, said: “It’s been a delight to work with The Sparkle Foundation. Our employees have participated in many fundraising activities, including the latest ‘Spring in your Step’ challenge, which saw staff complete 10 miles in 10 days by running, cycling and walking. The Sparkle Foundation works tirelessly to create a world where every village can become self-sufficient and has the tools to truly Sparkle. At Cornelius, we are grateful to be a part of their journey.”
The charity has ambitious growth plans for the year ahead too. “Next year, we want to focus on our development and growth at Sparkle, so we can provide educational, health and nutritional support to hundreds more vulnerable children across Malawi. We believe every child has the right to Sparkle!”, added Sarah.
If your company or school would like more information on The Sparkle Foundation’s corporate partnerships, please contact us at [email protected] or visit sparklemalawi.org.