The AV Foundation was set up in 1994 at the same time as Africa & Asia Venture (“AV”) The aim of the AV Foundation is to increase the quality of education in the communities served by AV volunteers. The focus is on educational infrastructure such as the building and refurbishing of classrooms, libraries, dormitory blocks, washrooms and water tanks.

Since 2008, the AV Foundation has disbursed over £200,000 in support of projects at schools in Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, India, Nepal and Thailand. We have been very grateful for the support of a number of corporate donors, schools, universities, Charitable Trusts and other organisations which have chosen the AV Foundation for their charitable giving. These have included Moorfield Group, BlackRock, Charterhouse, European Marine Consultants, Marley Charitable Trust, Herbert Smith, New School West Heath, Deepdene School, the Hartlepool Round Table and Africa & Asia Venture. In addition, a number of AV Volunteers and others have undertaken all sorts of activities and held events to raise money for the AV Foundation. These have included climbing mountains (Kilimanjaro and Everest); running marathons and half marathons in different parts of the world; cycling in Ladakh and France; canoeing the length of the Murray-Darling River in Australia and stand up paddling the length of the Mississippi; and organising balls and dinner parties to raise funds.
 
Where possible, the AV Foundation tries to work with and support the work of former AV volunteers who have been inspired to work back with the communities in which they volunteered. In many cases they have established their own charities. The AV Foundation is also able to utilise the network of AV Country Representatives to oversee projects in different countries.
 
Click on the past Newsletters below or visit the Blog / News page to see a summary of some of the fund raising events which have taken place as well some of the projects undertaken and funded by the AV Foundation, including those with partner organisations.