Updates

This update covers Care Circle's January 2026 activities, four months after the clinic opened in Surulere.

In January, we provided free primary care to 212 patients at Care Circle, bringing our cumulative total to 1,055 patients served since we opened in late September 2025. Around 51% of patients were visiting for the first time, while 49% returned for follow-up care, showing that more families are discovering the clinic while others continue coming back.

Malaria remained the most common condition treated, accounting for around 48% of patients. We also treated patients for hypertension and hypertensive urgency (10%), upper respiratory infections (6%), and a range of other conditions including ulcers, joint pain, and infections. Women made up 67% of patients, and adults aged 36–50 were the largest age group. We cared for patients from five communities, including Itire, Aguda, Ikotun, and Okota, with the farthest patient travelling over 20km to reach us.

Most patients live on very limited incomes. The average monthly household income reported by patients was ₦13,728 (about $9.81) per month, typically shared across a household of four people. Nearly all patients remain uninsured, which underlines why access to a free clinic matters so much in this community.

We spent $390 on medications and staff salaries in January. We also collected 3lb of plastic waste through our recycling programme, which helps sustain the clinic's operations.

Activities:

• Provided free primary care to 212 patients at Care Circle in Surulere in January 2026

• Treated malaria (48% of patients), hypertension (10%), upper respiratory infections (6%), and other conditions including ulcers and joint pain

• Served patients from 5 communities: Itire, Aguda, Ikotun, Okota, and surrounding areas

• Welcomed 107 first-time patients and 105 returning patients

• Collected 3lb of plastic waste through the clinic's recycling programme

• Spent $390 on medications and staff salaries to deliver care

This update covers Safe City's January 2026 operations. This is our ongoing free healthcare programme in Oworoshoki, Lagos.

In January, we treated 378 patients at Safe City. Patient visits picked up following a quieter December, as residents returned to Lagos after the holiday season. Malaria remained the most common condition treated (~33% of patients), followed by upper respiratory tract infections (~20%) and hypertension management (~13%). 40% of patients were new to the clinic, reaching us through word of mouth from their neighbours, while 60% were returning patients.

The patients we serve face significant economic pressure. The average monthly household income reported in January was ₦21,693 (~$15.50) for a household of roughly four people, around $3.78 per person per month. Nearly 96% of patients remain uninsured, making Safe City the only affordable healthcare option available to many families in the area.

We have finalised plans with local engineers in Oworoshoki to install a small solar generator and panels at the clinic, which will resolve our ongoing electricity challenges. The installation is scheduled for the coming weeks.

Activities:

• Treated 378 patients for malaria, upper respiratory tract infections, hypertension management, and other primary healthcare conditions

• Served patients across all age groups, from 1-year-old infants to an 87-year-old patient

• Welcomed patients from Oworoshoki (95%) and nearby communities including Bariga, Sawmill, and Ketu

• Finalised price negotiations and plans with local engineers for the solar generator and panel installation at the clinic

• Spent $474 on staff salaries and medications in January

Faith, a teenager from Oworoshoki, shares how she was treated for malaria at Safe City. Watch her video here.

Summary

In January and February 2026, we supported 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, with vocational training and structured psychosocial support.

• What happened: Three months of vocational training (welding, metal fitting, and carpentry) ran alongside regular counselling and group-based psychosocial activities.

• Who benefited: 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma.

• Cost: Not provided in this update.

• Issues: Limited tools reduced hands-on practice time, and stigma initially limited participation in psychosocial discussions. Trainers’ fees were under-budgeted, and the programme started without a detailed post-training follow-up plan.

• What’s next: WHG is developing an exit plan and exploring start-up kits to support graduates after the training period.

Overview

In January and February 2026, World Hope Givers supported 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. The programme combined vocational training in welding, metal fitting, and carpentry with structured psychosocial support to support reintegration and livelihood readiness.

Training curriculum (welding, metal fitting, and carpentry)

The training focused on practical skills that trainees can use to earn an income.

• Welding and metal fitting: Trainees fabricated metal doors, windows, handwashing stations, and small metal boxes.

• Carpentry: Trainees produced simple furniture for use and sale.

• Market exposure: Trainees sold some of what they produced during the programme, so they could practise their skills in real market conditions.

Psychosocial support and reintegration preparation

WHG delivered psychosocial support alongside technical training.

• Regular counselling sessions and facilitated group activities supported resilience and emotional regulation.

• At first, stigma made it hard for some trainees to join discussions about personal experiences.

• Facilitators introduced small-group and activity-based sessions to build trust and improve engagement over time.

  

  Implementation support (meals, care, and learning environment)

  To support consistent attendance and safe participation, WHG provided:

  • Daily meals throughout the programme.

  • Transitional care for participants who needed additional safety and stability.

  • A structured schedule so every trainee could meet the required practical hours, even when tools had to be shared.

    

    Challenges and community response

    Challenge 1: Limited tools and materials

    • Trainees had to rotate and share equipment, which reduced hands-on time for each person.

    • Response: WHG adjusted the practical schedule so everyone could still complete the required practice hours.

    Challenge 2: Stigma affecting psychosocial participation

    • Some trainees were initially reluctant to take part in psychosocial discussions.

    • Response: Facilitators used activity-based approaches and smaller group discussions to make it easier to participate.

    Challenge 3: Budget and planning gaps identified during delivery

    • Trainers’ fees were under-budgeted, which created financial pressure near the end of the month.

    • The project did not start with a detailed exit strategy for post-training transition.

    • Response: WHG began revising the budget internally and is developing a structured exit plan to strengthen sustainability.

    Looking ahead (post-training support and sustainability)

    Next steps focus on follow-up support for graduates in Goma over the next one to two months, and on strengthening the next training cycle.

    • Finalise and implement an exit plan that sets out follow-up check-ins, start-up kit distribution, and referral pathways for graduates.

    • Mobilise start-up kits so graduates can begin individual income-generating activities.

    • For future cycles, extend the training period to six months so trainees have more time to build and practise technical skills.

    • Improve tool and materials availability so each trainee can spend more time on hands-on practice.

      

Overview

In February 2026, our “Soil to Software” cohort at GBHS Mfou reached a key milestone. Twenty young women moved into the final business launch phase, while we continued practical farm activities through the peak dry season.

Training curriculum (‘Soil to Software’)

This month, we continued to blend hands-on regenerative agriculture with structured digital entrepreneurship training:

• We supported participants to register and progress through the Enterprise Adventure platform.

• Modules focused on market research and business model design.

• Through one-to-one mentoring, we helped each participant turn lessons into an individual, launch-ready business plan.

  

  Farm progress and climate resilience

  Despite heat and water constraints typical of the dry season, we maintained steady progress:

  • Using early January and February rains, we completed large-scale transplantation of huckleberry across the school farm.

  • We maintained a daily early-morning watering schedule for more than 100 ridges to protect organic spinach and garden eggs.

  • We implemented mulching and water-rationing techniques across one hectare to improve moisture retention in degraded topsoil.

    

    Market linkage and institutional engagement

    Two developments strengthened the pathway from training to real economic opportunity:

    • First buyer agreement: We secured a formal agreement with the GBHS Mfou school canteen to purchase the upcoming spinach and huckleberry harvest.

    • School leadership participation: We ran a community-led development session with the school principal and staff, building institutional ownership and support.

    Impact on participants

    Participants told us that the combined digital and practical curriculum is growing confidence and widening future plans.

    Hear from Maliki, a project participant:

    I used to think my world had become very small because of the things I lost, but since signing up for the Enterprise Adventure, I feel like I am standing on a big stage. Seeing students from other schools across the world doing the same missions as me makes me feel powerful. I’m not just growing spinach; I am designing a business that the whole world can see, and for the first time, I can imagine myself as a boss, not just a survivor.

Financial summary

This month, we focused spending on supporting safe, consistent participation and enabling both the farm and digital parts of the programme.

Summary

• What happened: We enrolled more students (now 156) and continued delivering vocational and horticultural training during the February 2026 reporting period.

• Who benefited: 156 students currently enrolled in our training programme.

• What it cost: We used the remaining materials and supplies funded through student fees. We have also fully used the funds received from the Kwanda pilot. We are compiling supplier quotes for priority materials, equipment, and furniture, and will share a priced list once confirmed.

• Changes, issues, or delays: Stock-outs of key materials and limited equipment reduced the number of practical sessions we could run, which may affect the pace of skills acquisition.

  

  Overview

  During the February 2026 reporting period, our enrolment increased to 156 learners. We continued training while using up materials purchased through student fees, and these supplies are now largely depleted.

  What we’re seeing in training delivery

  Higher enrolment shows sustained demand for our vocational and horticultural training. At the same time, limited materials and equipment meant we ran fewer practical sessions this period. This can affect training quality and slow skills development if not addressed.

  

  Constraints we are working through

  This period, we faced four immediate constraints:

  • We are running low on training materials.

  • Our equipment is not keeping pace with enrolment growth.

  • Our classroom furniture is limited.

  • We need additional funding to keep delivery at the current level and expand capacity.

    

    Next steps (March 2026)

    To sustain delivery for 156 students and protect training quality, we will:

    • Confirm a prioritised list of materials and quantities needed for the next training cycle.

    • Complete a short equipment inventory highlighting the most constrained items.

    • Estimate the classroom furniture shortfall, including the number of desks and chairs needed.

    • Gather quotes and share a priced budget for the items above.

      

Summary

A one-time £5,000 emergency donation supported rapid food assistance for displaced families in Sudan. Hope and Haven for Refugees Organization delivered 190 food baskets across four hard-to-access locations, reaching over 1,000 people.

• What happened: 190 food baskets were delivered across four locations.

• Who benefited: Displaced and low-income households, including families caring for orphaned children.

• Cost: £5,000 total (one-time emergency donation). Purchases focused on staple grains, pulses, cooking oil, and dates, sourced through a wholesale retailer to maximise value.

• Issues: Prices were volatile, and demand increased as more families were displaced. The team prioritised households with the least access to food.

• What’s next: This was a one-time crisis response donation. No further distributions are planned as part of this update.

Delivery and reach

• 190 food baskets delivered across four locations.

• Over 1,000 displaced people reached with emergency food support.

Distribution locations and basket totals

Challenges and how delivery stayed on track

Two factors shaped delivery:

• Volatile market prices meant the team had to keep adjusting the budget as costs changed.

• A rise in newly displaced families increased demand, so the team prioritised households with the least access to food.

Despite these constraints, distribution stayed on track through community-led coordination and flexible planning.

We have completed our 2025 Literacy Pilot Project. We achieved the following results with our pilot:

• 29 women enrolled, and 24 completed the programme (83%).

• Each participant received an average of 108 hours of literacy instruction focused on reading, spelling, and written communication.

• Transport stipends helped participants attend regularly, increasing attendance from around 50% to approximately 80%.

  

  

  We also supported five women with transport stipends to undertake three-month internships. One participant withdrew due to higher travel costs, and four completed their placements.

  Most participants are heads of household with limited formal education. Many are unemployed or earning income through informal work. By the end of December, participants reported stronger literacy skills and more confidence in navigating written information.

  One participant, a former child soldier, shared that without the right documentation and literacy skills, she could not access government benefits or navigate the required forms. “I am in this situation because I didn't have anyone to guide me,” she said.

  When she heard about the free literacy programme, she enrolled immediately. Today, she can read. One of the first things she proudly shared was, “Now I can read the Bible on my own.”

  

  

  Activities:

  • We enrolled 29 women in the 2025 Literacy Pilot Project.

  • We delivered an average of 108 hours of literacy instruction per participant.

  • We provided transport stipends to support regular attendance.

  • We supported five women with transport stipends for three-month internships.

    

We continued training students in garment construction, welding, cosmetology, carpentry and joinery, and plumbing and drain laying using equipment purchased earlier this year. Enrolment has now reached 130 students, and as training intensified, consumable materials began to run low: zips and elastics for tailoring, welding electrodes and discs, hair and nail products, timber and fixings, and PVC pipes for plumbing practice.

We also introduced a new auto electrics course, expanding training options beyond the original five departments. Of the $2,580 received, we spent $1,305 on equipment, $954 on consumable materials, $301 on transport and logistics, and $20 on staff meeting refreshments. These purchases weren't enough to meet training needs across all departments.

With enrolment continuing to grow, we're preparing a funding request to restock consumables across all six departments. We aim to finalise this request by the end of February and begin restocking materials in March to maintain training quality.

Activities:

• Trained 130 students across five vocational departments

• Introduced a new auto electrics course

• Purchased some additional materials using student fees

• Identified funding needs for consumables and equipment

On 6 January, we brought trainers and teachers together to confirm working agreements and revise training schedules. We bought welding torches, hammers, saws, chisels, measuring tools, and protective gear. On 15 January, we distributed these tools to 20 participants so they could begin their vocational training.

The materials and tools cost $2,688, funded by Kwanda. This covered welding and metalwork materials ($1,409) and carpentry materials ($,279). Teachers' payments for three months (U$480) and transportation of materials ($120) were covered by local partners Fesser and Friends and World Hope Givers. We have $642 remaining from the Kwanda grant for ongoing training needs.

With training underway, we will continue teaching vocational skills and mentoring. We plan to connect graduates with local apprenticeships and business opportunities over the coming months. We will also continue to provide counselling and mentorship for participants who need extra emotional support.

Activities:

• Restarted project activities after the holidays on 6 January

• Held a meeting with trainers and teachers and confirmed working agreements

• Purchased vocational training materials

• Distributed tools and materials to 20 participants on 15 January

• Reminded everyone of project goals on skills development and earning income during the event

Shamuyiri J., a project participant, shared:

I am very happy to receive this support because it will help me become responsible for my life and not return to the armed group where I once believed I could find a future. Every day, I prayed to God to help me find meaningful work not as a child soldier, but as a man doing skilled manual work. Now I am hopeful. When I finish my training, I plan to return to my village in Masisi to find my mother and support her with food. I will also encourage other child soldiers to leave the bush and seek opportunities like this where they can learn a trade or return to school because staying in armed groups is a waste of time. I thank WHG and its partners, Kwanda and Fesser and Friends, for giving us new hope through this programme.

During this two-month period, we provided free healthcare services to 412 patients, bringing the total number of patients served since launch to 843. Most patients had very low household incomes, averaging N10,819 (around $8) per month for a family of four, and nearly all were uninsured.

Malaria remained the most common condition treated, followed by hypertension and other common illnesses such as respiratory infections, diarrhoea, skin rashes, and body pain. Over half of patients seen during this period were first-time visitors, while 42% were returning patients.

Patient feedback suggests that Care Circle is becoming a trusted source of care within the community. In post-visit surveys, 98% of patients rated the care they received as excellent, with the remaining patients rating it as good. Patients also travelled from surrounding neighbourhoods, sometimes for up to two hours, to access affordable healthcare.

In the last 2 months, we spent $866 ($407 in November, and $459 in December) to provide care to 421 people at Care Circle, including on medications, staff salaries (2 months) and Christmas bonuses!

As Care Circle continues to grow, the team will focus on maintaining quality care while reaching more underserved households in Surulere and nearby communities.

Activities:

• Provided free primary healthcare services to 412 patients in November and December

• Diagnosed and treated malaria, hypertension, and other common illnesses

• Served predominantly uninsured patients from low-income households

• Collected post-visit patient feedback to assess quality of care

• Delivered care to patients travelling up to 20 km from surrounding communities