Improving life in the community, from day one

Working in the world of property development and management requires a certain type of mindset. One where your main objective, that of improving places and the lives of those in the community, sustains you through difficult times. Even perfectly run development or regeneration projects will have moments of inactivity, periods of waiting, times when buildings sit empty. 

By working with Dot Dot Dot, you can start to make good on your objective of improving places and the lives of those in the community now, far ahead of your projects completion. Bringing in our socially-minded, proactive, warm and creative guardians not only ensures the safety of your buildings, it enriches the community throughout the life of your project, in a whole world of ways. 

As well as the standard benefits of guardianship — increasing footfall and bringing money to local shops and services, reducing instances of anti-social behaviour, and being considerate neighbours  — Dot Dot Dot guardians bring a unique and remarkable benefit. Every single one of our guardians volunteers in the community for at least 16 hours per month. But let’s add some colour to that statistic. Our guardians don’t just pay lip service to the idea of volunteering. They share their valuable skills, passions, expertise and care towards the most important causes, in new and innovative ways. They are, by nature, empathetic, generous and warm. Their very presence enriches the area and the wellbeing of those around them.

Our guardian, Basma, moved into one of our west London properties, and made an instant impact. A refugee from Egypt, she is a passionate and life-long volunteer within the refugee community advocating for ending violence against women and girls. She now volunteers with Forward UK, the leading African women-led organisation working on this cause. Basma recently organised an event to celebrate Refugee Week that highlighted the impact refugees have played in society, and how their stories can inspire compassion in the wider community.

Basma is well known and respected in her sector, and the value she brings is exponential, “Through my years of volunteering I’ve built connections and strong networks in the sector so I’m best placed to invite guest speakers and panellists from within the refugee community.” – Basma Kamel.

Another guardian, Roberto, tried a variety of volunteering roles before finding one that really spoke to his passions and talents. He is now a mentor at Just Like Us, a charity which supports LGBTQ+ young people through higher education and the start of their careers, by pairing them with LGBTQ+ professionals to offer career advice.

“Starting your career or joining a new workplace can be a daunting experience for LGBTQ+ people” explains Roberto. “My mentee is currently studying at university, and we’ve been setting goals and thinking about preparation together. We’re currently focusing on building his confidence and drawing out what makes him special. One of things I enjoy most as a mentor is the direct impact you have.”

When our guardian, Bea, first arrived at her temporary home in Thamesmead she was keen to find the life and soul of the community. But she noticed a real lack of community engagement — there were almost no local events for adults. So, as a lover of stand up comedy, Bea organised a six week long comedy workshop for local residents which culminated in the ‘Thamesmead is Funny’ open mic night, sponsored by Peabody and Dot Dot Dot. One workshop participant told Bea that learning comedy brought playfulness back to her life after a difficult few years. Despite being only a temporary resident, Bea’s impact will endure for many years to come.

These kinds of stories make for heartwarming reading, and can really help motivate your organisation and its stakeholders by showing how their hard work, determination and investment in the project is paying off. So, we at Dot Dot Dot will continually share  volunteering success stories, as well as key stats and data around the positive impact.

The value of these very human stories and interactions is echoed by our clients.

“Our goal is to lead change by offering a new approach to development that is customer and community-focused, plus creating places where people feel they truly belong.  The guardians’ fantastic commitment to voluntary work creates a valuable contribution to local communities,” – David Gelling, Managing Director at This Land, former Dot Dot Dot client in Cambridgeshire.

Beyond the fantastic reputational benefits, as they may be referred to in CSR terms, in real terms these stories mean that your business is truly making the world, your little bit of it at least, a much better and safer place.

“Dot Dot Dot volunteers have been an invaluable resource in our journey to reopen the high street. Together we’ve launched a fruit and veg pop up shop, a podcast and rehearsal room, a hanging garden, a Covid-19 response and so much more. It’s been incredibly fun and they feel like part of the team.” – Paige Perillat, Civic

The Tree of Life: movement, dance and creativity in Thamesmead

Property guardian, dancemaker and lifelong creative, Melissa has been putting roots down in Thamesmead where we have a longstanding community of guardians.

After performing at the annual Thamesmead festival, we caught up with Melissa about her passion for dance and event sponsorship from Dot Dot Dot. 

A journey to self-actualisation

A self-described neurodivergent dancer and dancemaker, Melissa draws on an eclectic movement history of classical/contemporary dance, martial arts and somatic practices to create engaging dance art.

Her performance at the Thamesmead festival was named ‘The Tree of Life’ – a piece inspired by Jewish wisdom traditions. “In this dance, I use the tree as a framework to generate movement,” Melissa explains. “This piece is about the journey to self-actualisation and community.”

“When I moved to Thamesmead, I immediately felt connected to the community” she goes on. “There’s a really strong artistic space here. I actually met another Dot Dot Dot guardian through my volunteering at Greenwich Dance where I teach an improv dance class. I knew that I wanted to perform The Tree of Life with him. He’s really talented.”

Dot Dot Dot supports the community

Melissa approached Dot Dot Dot for support with funding after hearing about how we sponsored an open mic comedy night put on by her friend and fellow guardian, Bea.

“I attempted a round of crowdfunding without success. So, funding from Dot Dot Dot was really transformative,” Melissa tells us. “I used the money to hire studio space without digging into my personal income. We were on a pretty tight schedule and only had four days to rehearse. The ‘sponsored’ studio meant we could focus with no distractions.”

In the second half of her set, Melissa led a creative improvisation workshop. “This may have been more nerve racking than the dance itself,” she admits. “But the crowd was really receptive and engaged. I invited people to explore movement with me. There were people there that I’d never met before; and some familiar faces from Greenwich Dance.”

A source of inspiration

Dance has been Melissa’s life long passion, and since 2011 it’s been her fulltime vocation.

She’s collaborated with prominent companies and choreographers across the UK and Europe. Notably, she lived in Hungary where she performed with the Budapest Dance Theatre for five years.

“I then moved to London in 2020,” Melissa explains. “Due to ridiculously high rental prices, I lived in a house share. This was a real shock as I’ve lived alone since I was teenager. I really value my own space. Becoming a Dot Dot Dot guardian allowed me to live alone again and find peace of mind.”

“I’ve also fallen in love with Thamesmead,” Melissa goes on to say. “There’s something poignant about living here. There’s so much natural beauty set against the stark backdrop of Brutalist architecture. It’s inspiring. I think that’s why there’s such a wonderful artistic community here with people producing art from their heart.”

 

Sponsoring Bea’s open mic night and Melissa’s dance performance have prompted us to start a Community fund for guardians that want to put on events for their local communities. We will be launching this initiative in November with further information about how you can apply!

You can also join Melissa at her dance classes at the Acosta Dance Centre in Woolwich on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. The classes are for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals. Find out more and book a spot here.

Everything you need to know about our new property guardian flats in north-west London

Dot Dot Dot has worked with Brent Council for a number of years now, turning their empty buildings into inexpensive accommodation for property guardians. We currently manage 23 flats in north-west London owned by Brent.

In recent months, we’ve been working behind the scenes to take on many more flats in a Brent block that’s almost entirely vacant. These low-cost flats are now very nearly ready for property guardians who volunteer for good causes. 

So, here’s everything you need to know if you want to live in north London without the hefty price tag.

The Block

No building that can be turned into safe accommodation should ever stand empty – especially not during a housing crisis.

Not too far from the greenery of Queen’s Park, the block is currently sitexed. Not only an eyesore, the building is also a target for anti-social behaviour which ultimately puts the nearby community at risk.

From fixing boilers to clearing the properties, the Dot Dot Dot team has been working tirelessly to bring these flats back to a liveable, safe standard over the past few months.

Revitilising Queen’s Park

In the coming weeks, we’ll be bringing the sitex down and placing great guardians in these fantastic north-west London flats.

Our new Queen’s Park guardians will provide live-in security for the block, report any anti-social behaviour directly to us and look after the properties. Each guardian will also volunteer for 16 hours each month, dedicating their time to the neighbourhood  and local good causes.

Our guardians will also play a vital role in building up the community. And their presence will bring the building back to life and revitalise the local area.

The flats in north-west London

The flats themselves are all 3-bed properties and many are set across two floors. They consist of one large double room, and two slightly smaller bedrooms. Each flat has its own kitchen, spacious living room, bathroom and WC. You can take a virtual tour of an example flat here.

The block is less than ten minutes’ walk from Queen’s Park tube station (Zone 2) which offers great travel links into the city centre. You can find out more about the local area on our available properties page.

You’ll be able to live alone in a spacious 3-bed property for £800pcm; share with a friend or partner for £520pcm per person; or share with up to two others for £400pcm per person. Find out more about our eligibility criteria here.

The property guardians

We’re on the lookout for proactive and resilient people with a genuine passion for helping others. You’ll need to be comfortable living in a building that’s in the process of being rejuvenated. Our new Queen’s Park guardians will be friendly neighbours and able to tackle any minor repairs themselves.

To become a guardian, you’ll need to be happy to furnish the space yourself! These low-cost north-west London flats will need a lick of paint and floor covering in places. We always encourage guardians to make the space their own (whilst remembering the property guardianship is a temporary form of living).

If you’re ready to become a Dot Dot Dot guardian, start your application now.

Thamesmead is funny: Bringing comedy to the community

When Bea moved to Thamesmead to become a Dot Dot Dot guardian she was keen to meet new people and become an active member of the community. But she quickly noticed a lack of community engagement and local events for adults.

Until she took matters into her own hands.

Thamesmead is Funny

A lover of stand up comedy, Bea organised a six week long comedy workshop for Thamesmead’s local residents which culminated in the ‘Thamesmead is Funny’ open mic night, sponsored by Peabody and Dot Dot Dot.

Bea’s idea was born from frustration: “It was the same people who were attending different community events again and again. I realised that most people in Thamesmead were not active members of the community. There wasn’t much in the way of events for adults; most things were children or family focused.

I wanted to engage people who hadn’t engaged with the community before. I wanted to take people out of their comfort zone.”

Winning the community fund

At first, Bea was hesitant. She’d had some exposure to event planning, however, putting on a comedy event was completely uncharted territory. “Then I met a fellow guardian, and we quickly became friends,” says Bea.

“When I told her about my idea she said it was brilliant, and agreed to help me. We both have very different skill sets so we were able to work well together. She’s an artist so she was instrumental in designing much of the promotional material like flyers and promotion for the event.”

With her friend on board, Bea submitted and won a bid for funding from Thamesmead Community Fund. From there, things moved quickly. They recruited a professional comedian to run the six workshops, sought out local participants and started planning for the open mic night.

On running the workshop, Bea says “we had a mix of participants – their ages ranged from 20 to 70! At first, no one spoke to each other. I was worried about them getting up on stage. But seeing everyone bond through the weeks was the best thing about this experience. I was overwhelmed by everyone’s eagerness to perform in front of an audience at the end.”

The big night out

Organising the open mic night presented several obstacles. Not only had Bea been warned that Thamesmead residents were notoriously hard to engage, she also struggled to find a venue willing to host them.

“We were doing something that hadn’t been done in Thamesmead before, and there were some particular concerns around licensing,” she explains. “It was important that we could serve alcohol because comedy doesn’t really work without it.”

It took a lot of negotiation and reassurance from Bea before The Moorings agreed to host the ‘Thamesmead is Funny’ event, which turned out to be a resounding success.

Bea tells us that “the best thing about the whole night wasn’t that the venue almost reached capacity despite our anxieties. It was at the end of the evening when an older lady came up to me. She told me that tonight was the first time she’d been out in the evenings for three years! She’d decided to come because she had attended a comedy event 10 years previously and enjoyed it.”

Long lasting impact

As property guardian, Bea is a meanwhile resident of Thamesmead. But her impact on the community and its individual residents is lasting.

One workshop participant told Bea that learning comedy brought playfulness back to her life after a difficult few years. Other attendees are planning to perform comedy at this year’s Thamesmead festival – a local community festival at which comedy has never been performed before.

Bea achieved exactly what she set out to do: engage local people by driving them out of their comfort zone.

Compassion without borders: How Basma is celebrating refugee week

A few months ago, Basma moved into one of our west London properties. A refugee from Egypt, she is a passionate volunteer within the refugee community and advocate for ending violence against women and girls. 

In the run up to Refugee Week, we spoke to Basma about her volunteering past and present.
 
Compassion without borders

Basma currently volunteers with Forward UK, the leading African women-led organisation working to end violence against women and girls.

“Most recently, I’ve been organising an event to celebrate Refugee Week,” Basma tells us. “We will be discussing the impact refugees have played in society and how their stories inspire us to be compassionate.”

“Through my years of volunteering I’ve built connections and strong networks in the sector so I’m best placed to invite guest speakers and panelists from within the refugee community.”
 
The power of stories

Basma first came to the UK four years ago on a year-long volunteer programme.

“Expanding Horizons is an ERASMUS project,” Basma explains. “I arrived in Liverpool and I volunteered with women and African minorities who had experienced violence.”

Last year, Basma traveled to France to volunteer with refugees in Calais which, she tells us, was a life-changing experience. “I was lucky enough to come to the UK with a visa. In Calais, I heard the stories of people who were brave enough to cross countries and continents without this privilege.”
 
Giving back 

When searching for low-cost housing alternatives to private rent, Basma was drawn to Dot Dot Dot’s volunteer-based approach.

“As a Dot Dot Dot guardian,” she explains, “I use some of my spare time to volunteer every month – to give to others the support I received when I first came to the UK.”

“Volunteering plays an important role in my life,” she goes on. “Not only has it allowed me to build up a really comprehensive set of professional skills, it has also allowed me to build connections and find people who share my values in life.”
 
Join Basma and other guest panelists at her event, Compassion without Borders, on 20th June at 6pm in Southwark.

Book your free ticket now.
 

International Women’s Day

Since International Women’s Day last year, we’ve housed 179 women who are making an incredible social impact. Together, these women have contributed 15,134 hours of voluntary work to a range of charities in the UK, Poland and further afield. That’s 179 women giving almost a quarter of a million pounds of work to 182 different causes.

Throughout the course of the year, we got to speak to some of these women about the volunteering they do.

Jessica: Knitting hats for newborns

While working as a student midwife, Jessica came across Bliss, a charity that supports parents and babies in neonatal care. After becoming a Dot Dot Dot property guardian, she started volunteering with the organisation.

“Delivering a baby prematurely can often be extremely stressful and upsetting,” Jessica begins. “The hats I knit don’t take away that stress, but I hope they do add a little bit of love to a tough situation. They bring home comforts to a starkly medical setting.
I pick up knitting patterns from a local shop, and I get knitting. Once I have made a few hats, I pack them up and deliver the bundle to the hospital. I’ve only just started this journey. But I am hoping to start knitting socks, and then jumpers in the near future.”

Angelika: Building a network of support for the LGBTQIA+ community in Poland

Angelika was drawn to our volunteering-based approach, having helped set up the Tecza Po Burzy Foundation in Poland, which exists to support LGBTQIA+ people with their mental health.

Angelika tells us that “the political situation has worsened in Poland, and the government is actively making it worse so it’s really important to offer support there.

There is a real lack of knowledge when it comes to the physical and mental health of LGBTQIA+ people. It is shocking to find out that 83% of medical professionals don’t know much about what it means to be a trans person, for example. We are working on a long term project to help combat this. When you’re distressed and you have to spend hours and hours looking for help and support online, it is even worse when you don’t know if you can trust the person who is sitting in front of you.”

Isabella: Creating a ‘better future for the children of today’

Isabella has focused her voluntary efforts on supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Ghana with Visibility Africa.

“Our motto is ‘creating a better future for the children of today’” explains Isabella. “We have found the most effective way to do this is by helping, supporting and encouraging these children as well as providing key educational resources to help them to grow, become future leaders, teachers and more generally citizens who can contribute to a better Africa.

So far, we have successfully completed two projects, raising a total of over £2,500 to assist with orphans’ medication, school fees and other home essentials. We have also partnered with Organi Cup to provide reusable sanitary equipment for the girls, free menstruation education, and follow up visits to encourage the use of the menstrual cups.”

Karin: The Open HR Forum – Students

Karin’s initiative, the Open HR Forum – Students, operates on an international scale to create opportunities for HR students to become leaders in their field.

“At the start of the pandemic in 2020, I began a course in human resources with the Open HR Forum, to support my continued learning and development around communications in my home country of Slovakia.

I soon noticed a marked gap in the potential to access career consulting and work experience in Slovakia compared with the UK – the only options were for vast sums of money that were unaffordable for most of the students that I knew, including myself.”

On International Women’s Day, we want to say a huge thank you to all of these women for their dedication to social change. We hope this inspires you to create a positive impact, however big or small.

Spotlight on Sam: Creating connections through volunteering

As a video producer and communications consultant in the social sector, Sam has had the opportunity to work with non-profit organisations in Ireland, the UK and Sub Saharan Africa. Through volunteering as part of his Dot Dot Dot guardianship, Sam has been able to offer his skills to organisations that couldn’t otherwise afford his services.

We caught up with Sam about his experience of property guardianship so far and how he volunteers.

Using his unique skills to help others

In June last year, Sam moved from Dublin into one of our east London properties. Without the pressure of high rental costs, he’s found that he has more time to support the organisations he cares about.

“I’ve been volunteering since I started my career, but in Dublin I didn’t have time to volunteer in a planned or consistent way. I had to pretty much solely focus on paid work to pay the rent. Now that I’m a Dot Dot Dot guardian, I am paying half less than what I was paying in Dublin. I have more time to dedicate to organisations I care about.

I love being able to offer my professional skills pro bono to organisations that would otherwise be unable to afford my services. As my work focuses on social justice communications, I enjoy volunteering my time with a range of projects linked to my primary work.

My volunteering work focuses on marginalised communities particularly LGBT+, disability, and migrant issues. I’ve helped a variety of organisations in different ways from planning websites, to producing visual content and creating mental health resources.”

As someone who works in the social sector, he was also intrigued by the idea of living in the social economy.

“I have a postgraduate in Social Enterprise so I was drawn to the fact that Dot Dot Dot is a social enterprise itself. I’ve not been a property guardian for very long, but from what I’ve experienced so far they exhibit a high level of standard and responsibility to their guardians.”

Building new social connections

Dot Dot Dot guardians volunteer for 16 hours each month with many doing much more than this – Sam is one of these people. He splits his volunteering hours between pro bono work and volunteering locally which he’s found to be a great way to build social connections in a new city.

“One of my latest volunteer projects has been with Blueprint, an initiative supporting people who might not normally have the opportunity to become arts producers. I’ve been working with them to capture their story, and the really exciting arts festival they created. The story we’re telling will hopefully help connect with others to get involved with the programme, and make these arts opportunities more diverse and inclusive.

I’ve also been working with Friends of the Joiners Arms, an organisation passionate about protecting and creating queer spaces. They are now looking to open up the UK’s first community run queer venue. I’ve been working with them on plans for ensuring inclusivity and accessibility, and ways to communicate better with members so they can engage more with this great work.”

Although property guardianship is a temporary form of living, this hasn’t prevented Sam from forming friendships:

“Property guardianship is a temporary lifestyle,” he says. “As property guardians we are meanwhile people in meanwhile spaces. I’ve just moved to the UK, and I am looking to build connections while not being rooted anywhere for too long. So this property guardianship is perfect for me in this period of transition in my life.”

“As a guardian, you are at the heart of the community. I’m new to the UK and I’ve already got to meet lots of people from different backgrounds through neighbours and volunteering. I’ve helped my neighbour fix a few things around their flat, and we’ve become friends. There’s a social awareness that comes with being a guardian. And that’s been one of my favourite aspects so far.”

How to get into volunteering

As a veteran volunteer, Sam has some words of advice for guardians starting out on their volunteering journey.

“16 hours can sound like a really long time. But you can break it up by finding blocks of time that fit around your schedule. I’ve found it really useful to split my time across multiple different organisations.

If you’re looking for local opportunities, you only have to keep your eyes peeled and ears open. In my first few weeks here, I came across loads of volunteering opportunities through posters in my local cafe and speaking with my fellow guardians.”

Spotlight on Jessica: Knitting hats for newborns

While working as a student midwife, Jessica came across Bliss, a charity that supports parents and babies in neonatal care. After becoming a Dot Dot Dot property guardian, she started volunteering with the organisation. Jessica now knits hats and delivers them to local hospitals for premature newborns to wear.

We chatted with Jessica about what drove her to volunteer with Bliss when she became a Dot Dot Dot guardian.

 Staying connected to past passions 

While training to become a midwife,  Jessica often helped to deliver premature babies. This was when she first became aware of Bliss, which stocked baby clothes at the hospital where she worked. But it was only when she started looking at volunteering opportunities as a property guardian that she started volunteering for the organisation.

“When I became a Dot Dot Dot guardian, I saw Bliss listed on their volunteering resources for new guardians. I was inspired. I had forgotten about the amazing work Bliss does, and I knew straight away that I wanted to volunteer for them.

I loved being a midwife, but I realised over time that the job just didn’t suit me. Volunteering for Bliss has been such an amazing way to honour midwifery and stay connected to my past work.”

 Adding a little love to a tough situation 

Premature babies often come as a surprise. Parents won’t have had the time to pack bags or baby clothes. The clothes which Jessica makes by hand will often be the first outfit these babies wear.

“Delivering a baby prematurely can often be extremely stressful and upsetting. The hats I knit don’t take away that stress, but I hope they do add a little bit of love to a tough situation. They bring home comforts to a starkly medical setting.

I pick up knitting patterns from a local shop, and I get knitting. Once I have made a few hats, I pack them up and deliver the bundle to the hospital. I’ve only just started this journey. But I am hoping to start knitting socks, and then jumpers in the near future.”

 Making the time to give back

Jessica is busy retraining as a software engineer, but she’s found a unique set up which allows her to volunteer and focus on her career.

“I get to knit the hats at home so it’s really easy to fit in my volunteer work around my work schedule. One of the best things about Dot Dot Dot is that they hold you accountable. I used to volunteer, but I stopped when life got too busy. As a property guardian, I’m now making the time to give back to my community. I love that I am able to still support the women I used to work with as a midwife.”

Why being property guardian is right for Jessica 

Jessica lives with her partner in one of our west London flats and both of them are currently changing career paths. So they were looking for an inexpensive living solution when they heard about property guardianship through a friend.

“Being property guardians with Dot Dot Dot has helped our situation enormously. There’s no other way we could afford our own place while we’re both retraining. Property guardianship has given us the freedom to focus on the careers we want.

The flexibility that comes with being a guardian means that we can move out whenever we’re ready – we only need to give Dot Dot Dot 28 days’ notice. It’s also a huge bonus that we can decorate the flat how we want.

One of my favourite things about being a guardian is the sense of community.  We all know each other. Everyone is really sweet, and we all share a passion for volunteering. It’s nice coming home and saying hi to your neighbours.”

World Entrepreneur Day: The positive power of online gaming

At Dot Dot Dot, we house some truly innovative guardians who have made a real difference to their communities. To celebrate World Entrepreneur Day, we’re highlighting the work of Daniel who set up his own social enterprise during his time as a property guardian with us.

Daniel previously enjoyed volunteering at a local furniture store. But like many of us when Covid hit, he had to rethink the way he could carry out his work as a volunteer.

Creating change through online games

When the government enforced nationwide lockdowns, we all experienced an abrupt and new kind of isolation. This sudden lack of connection started Daniel on a journey to set up his own social enterprise.

He explains: “I had to completely reconsider how I was going to volunteer. I wanted to bring together vulnerable people who couldn’t leave the house. Throughout the pandemic, we used the power of online gaming to make a positive change in the world.”

A self-proclaimed “semi-professional nerd”, Daniel started building a community on the internet by running online events. He played all sorts of games from rogue-lites, to farming sims and Dungeons & Dragons. By live streaming the games on Twitch, viewers could get involved and interact with each other in real time.

The power of a remote community

Through his regular streaming schedule, Daniel created a safe and supportive space for people to have fun together without leaving their homes.

“We have built a regular community of people who come together to have fun and play games.  But there’s also a strong network of people who show up for each other. I see some people sharing certain problems, and others reaching out to help them.”

Not all fun and games

As things started to return to normal, Daniel saw how the power of games could have an even wider impact. In May 2021,  he officially founded Roll Together which is now a social enterprise.

The Roll Together community not only comes together to have fun online, they now fundraise for various charities: “Twitch is the primary mechanic through which we fundraise. While we stream people can donate money or buy subscriptions. All of these proceeds then go to the charity we are sponsoring at the time.”

In true entrepreneurial spirit, Daniel saw how the positive power of gaming could have an impact far beyond the internet and into the wider community. Roll Together has previously worked to fundraise for charities like Mind, Cancer Research, and LGBT Foundation. They are currently raising money for Operation Underground Railroad, an anti child trafficking organisation.

If you’re interested in joining Daniel’s live streams, check them out on Twitch.

Spotlight on Isabella: Creating a ‘better future for the children of today’

Since becoming a property guardian, Isabella, who lives in one of our Letchworth properties, has focused her voluntary efforts on supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Ghana with community interest company, Visibility Africa. Discover how Isabella’s travels to the country have shaped her voluntary work.

Improving the wellbeing of vulnerable children

Our Letchworth-based guardian, Isabella explains that “In Africa there are 12 million children without a permanent, safe and supportive environment to call home. We have visited Ghana on several occasions. After seeing the reality of the situation with our own eyes, it is clearly evident that the problem is huge.

Visibility Africa aims to aid orphans with life threatening health issues. Isabella says “Visibility Africa carefully picks orphanages to partner with across Ghana. We raise finances to support children whilst also raising awareness about the hardships they face.”

We are currently partnering with an orphanage which houses 58 children all living with HIV from birth. Spending time with these children has given Visibility Africa a new focus. We have started devising ways to combat stereotypes that are associated with vulnerable children in developing countries.”

Supporting the development and education of future citizens

Improving the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children across Ghana is achieved through training programmes, educational sponsorship, and the provision of supplies and support to improve child development.

“Our motto is ‘creating a better future for the children of today’” explains Isabella. “We have found the most effective way to do this is by helping, supporting and encouraging these children as well as providing key educational resources to help them to grow, become future leaders, teachers and more generally citizens who can contribute to a better Africa.

So far, we have successfully completed two projects, raising a total of over £2,500 to assist with orphans’ medication, school fees and other home essentials. We have also partnered with Organi Cup to provide reusable sanitary equipment for the girls, free menstruation education, and follow up visits to encourage the use of the menstrual cups.”

Ways to support Visibility Africa

“There is still so much more to do and we would love for people to join us on our mission whether that’s through volunteering or assisting in any other capacity.

Visibility Africa is looking for people who share our value systems and beliefs. Whether you have an interest in marketing, fundraising, market research or simply just want to be part of a community dedicated to making a difference – we would love for you to get in touch to discuss how you can get involved.”

If you are interested in getting involved, please reach out to info@visibilityafrica.com or dm them on Instagram at @visibility.africa.

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