The growth of Lesedi would not have been possible without the most important members of the Lesedi family - our supporters. This is very much a team effort and we continue to be humbled by the generosity of the support we receive, and the belief shown in us.
We are reliant on financial donations to support our work at Lesedi. Ngoko Charitable Trust covers the salaries of our teachers and nurses, along with purchases of equipment and consumables at the school and clinic. The charity also funds the costs of construction and one-off projects. Sponsorship fees enable our pupils to remain in school and receive two nourishing meals each day. Our welfare fund ensures the children can receive timely medical care as necessary.
Should you wish to make a monetary donation we pledge that 100% of the amount we receive will be spent on the project – there are no deductions for administration or overhead costs once funds are received by us. All donations are received into the Ngoko Charitable Trust, a UK-registered charity. Funds are held by the charity until distributed direct to the project as needed.
The payment details shown below are the same for donations and/or sponsorship payments. Please contact us to be allocated a child for sponsorship prior to making payment.
USA Donations / Sponsorship Payments
Lesedi Schools & Clinic is a designated fund at Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF), a US 501(c)(3) public Charity. PVF serves as the fiscal depository for the Lesedi Schools & Clinic, a charitable initiative run by the Ngoko Charitable Trust, a registered UK charity (number 1163965). A 2% administration fee is charged by PVF on all donations.
To donate online:
Click here: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/lesedischoolsandclinic
A 3% processing fee is applied to online donations, so we recommend that larger donations be sent via check. The online giving page includes a default option to cover this fee on our behalf. Please note that if you prefer not to add the fees to your donation amount, you should select "Donate 97%" in the Giving Option section.
Please remember to click the DONATE NOW button at the bottom of the page once you have added your card or PayPal details, in order to complete your transaction.
You will receive a tax acknowledgement receipt by email from Network for Good, our credit card processor.
To donate by check:
Send your check donation made payable to Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, with “Lesedi Schools” in the check memo line, to:
Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
1222 Preservation Park Way
Oakland CA 94612-1201
If you have a preference for how the funds are allocated then please attach a note to your check or email Fiona with your instructions. If donating from Canada, we ask that you donate online rather than mailing a check, as checks in Canadian Dollars can incur substantial conversion fees and take many weeks to clear.
PVF will provide donors with a tax acknowledgement letter for charitable donations of $250 or more. For donations under $250 your canceled check made payable to Philanthropic Ventures Foundation will serve as a receipt for IRS purposes.
To donate from a Donor Advised Fund:
Find Philanthropic Ventures Foundation in the list of nonprofits with your DAF host (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, community foundation, etc.). PVF’s Tax ID number is 94-3136771. Add the further designation to support The Lesedi Schools & Clinic Fund.
To donate by stock or wire transfer:
Contact: Dawn Hawk, Chief Operating Officer, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation | 510-645-1890 | dhawk@venturesfoundation.org
To donate by wire transfer direct to the UK charity:
For larger donations it is possible to donate by wire transfer direct to the UK Charity's USD account. This will avoid 3rd party payment processing fees but will not result in a tax-deductible donation for non-UK taxpayers. Please contact us for details.
United Kingdom Donations / Sponsorship Payments
Online donations and sponsorship payments can be made in the UK through Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).
You can set up a one-off or regular payment on our CAF Donate page by following this link:
https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/17921
Please remember to tick the gift aid box if possible so that we can reclaim tax.
Donations / Sponsorship Payments from other countries
If you are not based in the USA or UK, then you can still use one of the methods shown above but would not receive tax relief on your donation. As our expenditure is mostly in US Dollars, it is generally preferable for other nationalities to donate as per "USA Donations/Sponsorship Payments" as we then receive US Dollars rather than Sterling. We recommend donating online rather than mailing a check, as foreign checks can take a considerable time to be processed and attract higher fees.
The other option is to donate by bank transfer directly into the Charity's USD account, thereby avoiding payment processing fees. Please contact us for details.