Coco was co-founded by Steve Cram and British Army Major Jim Panton 16 years ago and has invested more than £3.5m in 50 transformational projects in 16 countries, positively impacting the lives of over 150,000 people. Chief executive Lucy Philipson explains the challenges of running a small charity in austerity Britain

EVENTS of 2016 have brought into sharp focus two key truths that dominate my working life. First, the challenges of running a small charity in today’s world are greater than ever. Second, the work that we do undertake is more important than ever.

Coco (Comrades of Children Overseas) turned 16 this year and, like many teenagers, we have had to deal with growing pains. On one hand, the breadth and depth of what we do to help young people in East Africa access vital education continues to increase, which is enormously satisfying. But on the other, that brings with it more responsibility and scrutiny, and a need to really focus on the fundraising efforts that will allow us to continue our activities.

I have been chief executive officer of Coco since 2010 and I have learned that a key tool for an organisation like ours is an ability to clearly and transparently demonstrate the transformational impact of our work. Because our 50-plus projects are based many thousands of miles away from the North-East, it is vital that we can show existing and potential supporters (as well as our board) exactly how and where money is spent, and why it is being channelled that way. Coco prides itself on being able to showcase the positive results of our work, both in statistics and through first-hand testimony of those people who have benefited. When we do this, our hugely generous supporters tend to dig even deeper and encourage others to get behind our work too.

A great example this year has been the work that we have been doing with assets transferred from Gentoo Group’s Nuru Fund. Back in April, Coco took over the charitable activities of the fund and started integrating that work into our own initiatives. The Nuru Fund was founded by Gentoo Group in 2013 and went on to provide over 900 solar lamps to rural off grid communities in East Africa, replacing dangerous kerosene lamps. Under the terms of the asset transfer, we agreed to expand the solar lamps and classrooms programme. In the months since then, we have invested £38,000, working with our team of partners on the ground. Through solar projects in five schools in Kenya and Tanzania, we have helped to transform learning and teaching opportunities for 422 students and 30 teachers.

The work has involved the construction and equipping of solar classrooms, the installation of solar electricity, and the installation of solar water pumps. Access to electricity enables students to study into the evening, as well as providing lights for comfortable and safe living around schools. The electricity also allows schools to use IT in lessons, which helps to engage students and develops marketable computer skills. Over the next six months, those funds will benefit an additional 300 people, as the schools enrol new students.

One of the schools that we have invested in is FocusSA Primary, in Kenya, close to the border with Uganda. The school was founded by an amazing man called Phaustine Ogolla, who has reported that thanks to the provision of solar lighting in both the school and homes, children can now study at night and as a result, academic performance has improved three-fold. These are real, tangible impacts that will make a huge difference to the longer term prospects for many young people. And, of course, rolling out solar capacity in this way is really sustainable, ultimately allowing schools and communities to thrive without ongoing intervention.

I visited FocusSA before all of this, at the start of the year, and saw for myself how Coco had already made a difference. A donation that we made in 2015 meant that Phaustine was able to arrange for the construction of a new brick classroom, replacing mud rooms that had previously been washed away following torrential rain. The sense of pride and optimism in the school was tangible, and the strength of community among the children (many of whom are Aids orphans) and teachers was wonderful to witness. I came away knowing that one day soon, FocusSA will not need financial support from Coco, though we will of course always be here for Phaustine and the school.

Case studies like FocusSA Primary are so important to me and my team. They remind us why we do what we do and they provide us with robust evidence to present to stakeholders on all sides. Crucially, they also give us the rich, human stories that help us persuade businesses and individuals to continue supporting Coco as the charity takes on even more responsibilities and comes of age.

Coco was co-founded by Steve Cram and British Army Major Jim Panton in 2000. The charity focuses on small, sustainable, community-led initiatives that can make a big difference at a local level, and has raised and invested over £3.5m since its foundation. Coco has now supported 50 transformational projects in 16 countries, positively impacting the lives of over 150,000 people.

To find out more about the work of Coco, visit www.coco.org.uk, find the charity on Facebook or follow @COCO_Charity on Twitter.