International development charity Women and Children First has announced plans to close due to an “incredibly challenging” funding environment.
The charity, which registered in 2001 and provided support to local partners in several African countries, has started an orderly wind down ahead of its expected closure in the next few months.
In a statement published today, the charity’s chair Rachel Cullen said it had been “an incredibly difficult decision” to close by that the board felt “certain that it is the right decision at the right time”.
Cullen thanked the charity’s six current employees, including chief executive Beth Silver, and funding partners over the past 25 years.
Silver became Women and Children First’s chief executive in 2023, replacing Mikey Rosato, who had led the charity for 10 years new chief executive.
The charity recorded an income of £503,000 and £22,000 surplus in 2023, compared to a revenue of £431,000 and a deficit of £135,000 the year before.
‘Exit gracefully’
Cullen said: “The current funding environment is incredibly challenging for everyone.
“Many organisations are reassessing whether they can or should continue. It is in this context that we now choose to exit gracefully.
“We have always co-developed projects and built expertise in the participatory learning and action approach with our partners, and more recently, we have trained a body of experts across the Global South to train and support others in these approaches.
“We will ensure all the evidence and resources we developed over the years will remain available for communities anywhere to access and use.
“On our current projects, we are working closely with partner organisations to either complete the projects as planned or ensure a smooth transition for projects that will continue after we close.”
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