Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust

Our academic programmes are aligned with the national government curriculum in each country. We are able to deliver a high quality of academic education thanks to the provision of teaching materials, good teacher training, class sizes conducive to improved academic outcomes, and well equipped classrooms to facilitate the needs of every child. A big focus of our programmes is addressing gender inequality in education by championing girls in their education in all areas – with an emphasis on STEM. Girls remain at a big disadvantage in many of the countries we operate in and so providing equitable access for girls is vitally important for their future earning

Vocational training

Alongside a strong academic foundation, the children learn vocational and “soft” social skills they need to find employment, gain confidence and self respect. Above all they experience the joy of a childhood free from the worries of poverty. And every child is given the chance of a future free from poverty for themselves and their loved ones.

Our children learn invaluable vocational skills like bread and pastry making, electronics, carpentry, auto mechanics, sewing and tailoring and many more. These vocational courses are designed and planned in line with the skills needs of the local economy. This ensures that the skills every child learns has immediate value and can help them find employment as soon as they graduate. With decent work and a good income, they are empowered to help themselves and their families.

The Sisters of Mary deliver the programmes in-country and we work closely with them to raise funds to support the humanitarian education programmes. It’s a warm and profoundly collaborative partnership based on mutual trust and respect that has worked well since 1996.

The Sisters encourage the children to pursue sport, hobbies, and the arts, to benefit their physical and mental health. They use this time to learn something they really enjoy, like music, dance, or art. These creative subjects in school and in their free time gives the children space to explore their creativity and talents as well as reinforcing their cultural identity by learning their national dance style or an art form specific to their region.

We also recognise the important therapeutic benefit of the arts, helping children who have experienced trauma in their early lives to find self expression to boost their confidence, and to help them heal from negative experiences – a result of living in severe poverty.

You can be a part of providing the essential building blocks of quality education that provides children from extreme disadvantage the tools they need to thrive. As a smaller, lesser known charity, we believe that our work deserves to be seen and heard because of the real impact it makes on children’s lives.

In our newest programme, Dodoma Boystown, Tanzania, we are accepting the second group of boys into school, bring the number of boys in school there with us from 192 to 367. We re in need of new rubber sports shoes for the boys, which will cost £1,600.

Can you help us?

There are tow types of grants that people like BOAT usually chose to give. There is a restricted grant for a specific project like the shoes project above, or by giving a unrestricted grant. An unrestricted grant simply means that the funds go to where the need is greatest and to provide the most basic needs for our children including:

• Three meals a day
• Clothing, uniform, shoes
• A safe place to sleep
• Education supplies
• Quality academic and vocational teaching