Supporting young people in Africa to build sustainable livelihoods

We are a charity based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire empowering young people in Africa (and the UK) to help themselves by developing the skills and knowledge needed to find gainful employment or start their own business. We do this by refurbishing donated tools to a high standard and shipping them to training centres and self-help organisations. In 2015 we received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
To get involved you can volunteer, donate your tools or give a virtual gift to change a life.

MAKE A DONATION

Make a Donation

Make an online 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

Join our team of volunteers at The Old Boot Factory in Chesham.
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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Meet Gilbert Kwawe

Gilbert Kawawe, used his ‘Power Electrical’ and later ‘Metal fabrication’ qualifications he earned from Lusaka Youth Resource Centre to found G Hand Works.

With continuing success and well-established reputation, he is now a major employer in the local community. He is helping other young people get valuable skills training, qualifications and work experience.

In challenging times, he persevered – in response to local demand and rising costs he used tools donated from Workaid to manufacture his own machine. He is inspiring many others showing that with skills, the right tools and an unwavering work ethic, sustainable change can happen.

Read more about his journey here.

  • Gilbert Kawawe G Hand Works
  • Gilberts Work
  • Gilbert employees business

Meet Dainess Kabaso

  • Image of Dainess Kabaso

Dainess Kabaso, a mother of four, enrolled on Lusaka Youth Resource Centre’s Design Cutting and Design course. Since qualifying, she and two fellow graduates – using Workaid donations – founded Daimor Fashion and Design.

Covid-19 forced her to diversify her business from making wedding dresses and formal wear to offering tuition in tailoring, which she plans to expand into a formal training course.

Read more stories from Africa here.

“When you helped me, you helped my children and the whole community.“

Our Achievements So Far….

Since our foundation in 1986, over 190,000 lives have been changed

Each year on average we send 8 containers to East Africa containing approximately 80 tonnes of tools & equipment,
helping 9000 young people to build a sustainable livelihood.

0
Toolkits Supplied
0
Lives Changed!
0
Vocational Training Projects Supported
0
Sewing & Knitting Machines Supplied

The tools and equipment we send supports vocational training of young people to acquire valuable skills and become self-sufficient and follow their dreams.

Carpentry Kits
6,318

Mechanic Kits
1,310

Metal Work Kits
1,050

Masonry Kits
1,650

Electrical Kits
703

Plumbing Kits
454

News From Africa

  • Gilbert Kawawe G Hand Works
  • Gilbert employees business
  • Gilberts Work
  • Gilbert Kawawe G Hand Works

Gilbert Kawawe’s Story

January 19th, 2022|

Born in 1994 in Nangoma, Zambia, Gilbert Kawawe is the fifth of nine children. Growing up the family struggled financially, and it was only through [...]

  • Container Simon en Route
  • Container Simon being loaded for transport
  • Container Simon leaving The Old Boot Factory

Simon is en route to Zambia

December 20th, 2020|

We are pleased to inform you that container Simon is en route to Zambia. It goes without saying that our volunteers have been working [...]

For more stories, click here