Enabling disadvantaged young people in Africa to build sustainable livelihoods
We are a charity based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire empowering young people to help themselves by developing the skills and knowledge needed to find gainful employment or start their own business. We do this by collecting unwanted tools, refurbishing them to a high standard and shipping them to training centres and self-help organisations in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities. In 2015 we received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. To get involved you can volunteer, donate your tools or give a gift to change a life.
Tools: To donate tools in good condition, please visit our DONATE TOOLS page for our new process for receiving and handling donations. Unfortunately, we are unable to collect.
The Workaid Shop is open for business on its regular days of Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm with extended days for the holiday season. Visit the Workaid Shop page HERE for our December opening times and for the changes we’ve made for everyone’s safety.
MAKE A DONATION
Make a Donation
Make a secure payment by credit or debit card as a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a Workaid Gift. Just £5 per month for a year enables us to send a sewing machine, 2 haberdashery kits and cover the cost of shipping to a vocational training centre in Africa.
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VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME
Volunteer your Time
We always need volunteers.
Join our team at The Old Boot Factory in Chesham, or become a local collector around the country.
Share your skills and make new friendships. All you need is enthusiasm.
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DONATE YOUR TOOLS
Donate your Tools
Change lives by donating your unwanted tools, equipment and haberdashery items.
Each year 80 tonnes of tools are saved from landfill, refurbished and sent to vocational training projects in East Africa and the UK.
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What we stand for
As a charity dedicated to helping people help themselves Workaid tackles poverty mainly in East Africa and the UK. We collect, refurbish and then supply tools and equipment to self help groups and vocational training projects.
Tools for life
We help provide a valuable community service by refurbishing tools that would otherwise be thrown away. Supported by a large group of volunteers from all walks of life, we supply disadvantaged people with the tools and practical skills to become self supporting.
Founded in 1986 we work directly with partners we have personally visited in each country ensuring that the projects are genuine. We provide people with things they want rather than what we think they might need and we never send money. Our ethos is providing Tools for Life.
What we have Achieved
In 2015 Workaid received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and in 2016 we celebrated our 30th Anniversary
Our first ever container went to Kenya in 1994 and we now send 8 containers a year to East Africa containing 80 tonnes of equipment supporting over 180 projects.
A breakdown of machines shipped includes Sewing Machines (21,662), Knitting Machines (3,482) and Typewriters (9,827). Tool kits include Carpenter’s (5,743), Mechanic’s (1,196), Mason’s (1,487), Electrician’s (593), Plumber’s (384), Leather worker’s (678), Horticultural kits (1,828) plus a range of larger miscellaneous equipment such as turret drills and lathes (7,526).
Our group of volunteers continues to grow but so do our plans, so to help us change lives why not volunteer today?
Stories from the Field
The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2020
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International Day of Rural Women
For 2020's recognition of International Day of Rural Women, the focus is on building women's resilience in the wake of Covid-19. It cannot be stressed enough the importance at this time of recognising global [...]
World Youth Skills Day
It's World Youth Skills Day! Which is particularly important this year as the world grapples with uncertainty regarding the future. In 2015, youth unemployment was recorded at 13.1%. That is a staggering 73.4 million [...]
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