Our Story

Baraka Community Partnerships is a charity that began in 2007, when three much-travelled friends who had witnessed firsthand so much inequality and poverty, decided to get together to make a difference.

Our Approach

Starting with one project in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Baraka has since evolved to encompass a multitude of projects, focusing on Zambia and Laos, whilst still helping out in Morocco with some earthquake relief.

We don't give cash handouts because we want to look at long-term solutions. We want the changes in communities to come from them - their ideas, their goals and aspirations. By developing educational facilities, promoting healthcare and instigating water and sanitation projects, we try to galvanize communities to develop their own sustainable, self-sufficient futures through the power of education.  Approximately 80% of our funding supports educational projects. ​Most projects are suggested or initiated by locals, so we can help them build their own vision for their community to make it a reality.​ Where possible, we ask the community to contribute in some format, such as labour or local materials.

100% of all donations go directly to projects in zambia and laos​

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Who we are

Baraka Community Partnerships is run on a day-to-day basis by our Co-Founder Andy Mckee (pictured left, in Zambia). Andy is supported in the UK by a six-member Board of Trustees who all give their time and expertise voluntarily. Louise Mckee, Jo Sutton, and Sarah Ockendon work on a part-time basis and oversee administration, finances, and educational strategy in Zambia. 

We are registered in the UK and Zambia as a Non-Governmental Agency (NGO), and have a team of twenty-eight full-time staff who coordinate and deliver our projects in the field. Baraka has a team of 23 full-time and part-time employees on projects in Laos. 

We are also registered in Canada, where the five-member Board of Directors are primarily concerned with our Zambia projects, including our medical volunteer trips.

We have a network of wonderful volunteers who support the work we do, sometimes in person at our projects.

Where we work

The largest portion of our work is in Zambia, followed by Laos.

The majority of Baraka Community Partnership's projects are educational. Roughly 80% of our funds go towards schools, teachers, our sponsorship program, our Zambian Learning Centres and Girls’ Safe Houses. The remaining 20% is distributed between sanitation, water and healthcare programs with a few extra projects as and when they arise.

Baraka canada

Baraka Canada was founded in 2013 by longtime members of the Baraka UK board who shared a commitment to expanding access to health care in Zambia. What began as biannual medical outreach trips to rural communities with limited access to care has grown into a broader mission that now includes educational support, school construction, and participation in Baraka’s sponsored student program.

Since its founding, Baraka Canada has led six medical missions to Zambia, establishing temporary day clinics in communities including Lusaka, Kapiri Mposhi, and Maamba. Together, these clinics have provided care to nearly 10,000 patients. Each visit has built on the lessons of the last, allowing the team to expand the range and quality of services offered.

Through these shared efforts, meaningful relationships have formed between Canadian and Zambian volunteers, and Baraka has proudly supported a growing number of local nurses and doctors as they pursue and complete their medical training.

Looking ahead, Baraka Canada’s next major initiative is the construction of a permanent medical clinic beside the Baraka Learning Centre in Kapiri Mposhi, with groundbreaking planned for early 2027. This new clinic will create a lasting foundation for year-round care and strengthen Baraka’s long-term commitment to healthier communities in Zambia.

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Baraka Projects

  • Kapiri Learning Centre

    Zambia

    The Baraka Learning Centre is based in a rural setting in the Central Provence of Zambia near the town of Kapiri-Mposhi. The Learning Centre provides the support and educational resources to help about 30 schools, its teachers and its pupils to achieve a higher level of academic success.

  • Maamba Learning Centre

    Zambia

    The Maamba Learning Centre is currently umder construction and will open in late 2026. Similarly to the Kapiri Learning Centre, all lessons and sessions are free of charge and for those schools that can't access the Learning Centre, we provide an outreach program that takes the Learning Centre to the schools.

  • Baraka Primary School

    Zambia

    Baraka Primary School is located in Kapiri-Mposhi and provides education to children in the area. Recent developments at the school include a library and a hygiene-friendly female toilet block to allow regular attendance.

  • Baraka Secondary School

    Zambia

    Currently under construction, the Baraka Secondary School is next to the Baraka Primary School and will provide crucial educational resources to youth in Kapiri-Mposhi.

  • Maamba Safe House

    Zambia

    In 2015 we were asked to step in to rescue The Maamba Safe House, a safe haven for 20 teenage girls, to prevent the home from closing. The house had been funded by a large charity that pulled out with a few weeks notice.  

  • Kapiri Safe House

    Zambia

    The Kapiri Safe House provides a home to 30 girls who would otherwise fall victim to an endless cycle of poverty and gender-based violence. The house is located beside the Learning Centre, providing access to educational resources and sponsorship opportunities.

  • Nong Khiaw Learning Centre

    Laos

    The Learning Centre at Nong Kiaw is situated next door to the town's primary school. It organises after-school activities at the same time as providing a valuable educational resource for the school.

  • Nan Learning Centre

    Laos

    The Nan Learning Centre is a smaller version of Nong Kiaw, supporting just over 100 children and offering a similar range of activities. 

  • Vieng Khien Learning Centre

    Laos

    The Vieng Khien Learning Centre offers a similar range of activities as the Nan and Nong Khiaw centres. 

  • Mekong Book Boat

    Laos

    The Mekong book boat is based in Luang Prabang, operating on the Mekong River. It visits over 100 rural villages annually, mostly inaccessible by road.  

  • Ou Book Boat

    Laos

    The Ou book boat is based in the provincial outpost of Nong Kiaw and operates on the Ou River, serving over 44 villages each year. 

  • ​"In Zambia, Baraka strives to provide a decent education despite the challenges faced, and irrespective of the social status of the child."

    —Andrew Tembo,
    Zambia Operations Director

  • "The Baraka Learning Centre in Kapiri Mposhi is a remarkable achievement. Built from scratch with fund-raised money using local skills and materials, it’s 100 percent solar-powered and has established itself as an invaluable resource for education, recreation and community interaction."

    —Brendan Sainsbury, Baraka Canada Chairman​

  • "The Learning Centre is proving to be a unique learning hub in the Kapiri area with 30 schools already making use of the facilities, and more approaching us all the time, eager to visit. Teachers, kids and educational officials have embraced the centre wanting more."

    —Michael Phiri, The Learning Centre Education Manager