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the umu foundation charity auckland new zealand phill prendeville

Phill with Umu, Little Umu's baby Paulina and Aunty

WHAT IS THE UMU FOUNDATION?

The Umu Foundation (T.U.F) is an international charitable organisation established by Phill Prendeville to help exceptional young women realise their true potential through higher education.

Wherever the need exists, wherever the right candidates arise, we can help, be that in Africa, New Zealand, India or any part of the globe.

Phill travelled the world working for international charities for over a decade and saw for himself what works best. He believes the answer is to empower those who want to empower themselves.

Education is key to breaking the poverty cycle and higher education is for many young women's aspirations  a prerequisite. For many this is expensive and unobtainable. 

Many charities end their sponsorship for children when they are in their late teens. This is where we step in to help uplift exceptional young women who have achieved some educational standard, have identified a passion, decided upon a path but do not have the funds to fulfil their potential or realise their dreams.

Helping Umu has taught us how best to provide for her and now in turn, other young talented women like her.

Our intention is to provide each young woman with the tools to succeed, i.e. phones, computers and the financial means to secure and maintain safe lodgings and access to the best educational facility that meets their needs.

Each recipient will manage the donations herself and with our help will set up a micro-enterprise business to become self-sufficient. 

Whatever professions the young women choose we seek to find complimentary established people or companies in that field to mentor, advise and contribute to them.

Umu's path to advocate for women's rights has never been easy. As well as the many years of schooling she missed  and the horrors she endured whilst held captive  she also faced the cultural expectation to remain in the village and undertake a woman's traditional role. 

We helped provide Umu with an education and the means to support her wider family which has allowed Umu to follow her own path.

The Umu Foundation is bespoke and small enough to navigate each situation as is best and to have direct influence with minimal cost. All costs are transparent and accounted for.

We know what to do and how to do it.

Our goal is to help young women who will in turn help many more.

As The Umu Foundation grows our goal is to connect the young women to each other in order that they may share their experiences, their aspirations and their gained knowledge, creating an international sisterhood of future leaders.

 Understanding that the  power of the story can create positive action and change, each recipient records their own journey, snippets of which will be shared on social media platforms to build awareness and raise funds.

Helping Umu is helping the fight for women's rights in Sierra Leone.

Helping the Umu Foundation supports Umu and all the young women to follow.

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