The 1980s saw one of the worst humanitarian disasters of the twentieth century. In 1984, famine in Ethiopia left over one million people dead and a further eight million at risk of starvation (source BBC).

As governments and individuals were concentrating their efforts on emergency relief following the Live Aid appeal, a group of friends from Buckinghamshire who were determined to provide long-term practical assistance began a ground-breaking project, to help the people of East Africa escape the cycle of poverty and rebuild their lives.

In response to the vivid reports of the famine, brought to public attention by journalist Michael Buerk, Ken Nunn – a local solicitor – called a meeting which was attended by 30 people from churches and the local community. A committee was formed, with Ken as Chairman and local businessman John Boughton offered space in his premises in Little Chalfont. This became Workaid’s first workshop. After much preparation and hard work, Workaid officially opened for business in April 1986 and formally registered as a charity soon after.