A&K PHILANTHROPY

IMPACTING LIVES & LIVELIHOODS

Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy (AKP) is dedicated to positively impacting lives and livelihoods in the communities where A&K guests travel. From Africa to Asia, Latin America to the Antarctic, AKP works with partner communities on education, health care, conservation and enterprise development projects with a commitment to ensuring guests learn about these philanthropic investments as an integral part of their travel experience. Here is news of the latest work being undertaken.

Restoring dignity to the disabled in Uganda

AKP in partnership with the Walkabout Foundation and the Bwindi Community Hospital, has enabled the delivery of 100 wheelchairs to disabled people living in the Bwindi area of southwestern Uganda. Arriving direct from Kenya, the wheelchairs were assembled prior to being fitted for their recipients and delivered to each individual. 85 chairs were delivered, the balance being available for community members who may need one in the future. Kerry Golds, A&K Chief Tour Operating Officer — UK, Europe, USA, Australia was in Uganda at the time of the delivery and observed this life-changing mission of restoring dignity, freedom and independence to those deeply in need.

Building bridges in Egypt

Thanks to a generous donor, AKP’s partner in Egypt, Funtasia, has received funding to institute a children’s mural project. Funtasia Cultural Centre in Luxor offers an after school programme for local children, between the ages of four and 16. The centre focuses on strengthening confidence, communication, and collaboration among young people using tools such as the arts, gardening, poetry, nutrition, health, and coding. Its aim is to build bridges between rural and urban children, instigating extra-curricular activities that provide understanding through experiential learning and preparing the young for a life of meaningful connections — with people and their surroundings, for the job market of tomorrow — and to promote the use of creativity as a means of solving challenges faced by them and their community.

A new learning centre for Nakatindi

Nakatindi Village in Zambia has benefitted from many AKP projects since the community support began in 2010. Its most recent investment has been in the planning stages since 2018 when the need for a dedicated extra-curricular learning space was identified by the Nakatindi school’s administration and wider community. What has evolved is a library, computer lab and communal workspace which have been combined to create a unique, eye-catching and creative learning environment.

Schools across Zambia are usually built to strict specifications and, as a result, lack individuality. It is unusual to find creative design and engaging learning spaces. This project is big and bold and creates a truly unique space for the pupils at Nakatindi School to engage positively with reading, computer science and extracurricular activities. Alongside this new space, AKP has been able to support a full renovation of all the school’s classrooms, toilet blocks and assembly hall in addition to installing a security fence surrounding the school property.