Our Story

Our Mission

Aidlink exists to improve the lives of those living in poverty in Africa.

Our Ultimate Goal

People, especially women and girls, living in the poorest communities in Africa will be able to achieve healthy and fulfilling lives.

Our History

Aidlink was founded in Dublin, Ireland in 1982 by a group of volunteers committed to combating poverty in Africa. 40 years later, Aidlink has evolved from an entirely voluntary organisation working on short-term development projects in up to 17 countries around the world, to the Aidlink of today, with a small but committed team of staff based in Dublin, investing in long-term, sustainable development programmes.

In recent years, our focus has been on two programme countries in Africa: Kenya and Uganda. With teachers among the founding group of volunteers, it is no surprise that education remains at the heart of all of Aidlink’s work. Working through a unique partnership model with African community-based NGOs, we deliver life-changing education, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) and agriculture programmes, strengthening the capacity of communities and NGO’s and delivering sustainable results.

Aidlink targets the most isolated and marginalised in society with a particular focus on the traditionally nomadic pastoralist communities, the Masai and Turkana in Kenya and the Karamajong in Uganda. In Ghana, our work centres on our Immersion Programme and the maintenance of schools and boreholes. Aidlink is particularly committed to making the world a safer and fairer place for women and girls, tackling harmful cultural practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM), which often signals the end of a girl’s education, agency and choice about her own future.