Home » Latest news » The countdown begins! BBC Radio 4 appeal for Rafiki Thabo Foundation ✨

The countdown begins! BBC Radio 4 appeal for Rafiki Thabo Foundation ✨

We hope you share our excitement for our upcoming BBC Radio 4 appeal and the potential this has to help us support so many more young people through education. Our appeal goes live on Sunday 21st June – on BBC Radio 4!

It means the world to have your support, and to know that you share our belief that all children should have access to education and the life opportunities that brings, regardless of the circumstances they were born into. You are part of the Rafiki Thabo family – and for this we are so grateful!

This appeal is a wonderful opportunity for you, our supporters, to help us amplify our message so that more people might discover and choose to support our work.

If you watched Amar’s video message in our last e-mail newsletter you will have heard of the incredible impact education has had not only on Rafiki Thabo graduate Ayiesa’s life but also on all the lives of those he has gone on to support – the true ripple effect of education. If you missed it you can watch it on our YouTube channel here. 85% of our graduates report in our annual impact survey that they too are paying it forward. Graduates like Annette:

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, this year we are supporting 427 children and young people with access to school, college or university. Through our BBC Radio 4 appeal, we hope to fund the entire secondary education for another 42 children in Kenya. It is an ambitious target, as we need to raise £45,000 in one week – so we really need your support to spread the word to as many people as possible!

How can you help us achieve this?

Listen Live – Share our appeal – Make a donation – Key dates:

1. Follow us on social media – our campaign has begun! Get engaged: like, comment and share our posts (see links at the bottom of the page)
2. We will e-mail you Sunday 21^st June with a link to our live BBC R4 appeal – please forward the e-mail to people you think might be interested in learning more
3. Catch the appeal live on BBC Radio 4:
   • Sunday 21st June 2026 – 7.54am & 9.27pm BST
   • Thursday 25th June 2026 – 3.27pm BST (repeat broadcast)
4. Make a donation and listen to the appeal on our BBC Radio 4 appeal page:
   • From 07.55 on Sunday 21st June and until midnight on Saturday 27th June.

As we start the 7-day countdown, we have a message from our patron Harry Baker, England Cerebral Palsy Footballer, whose own story, like Amar’s and Ayiesa’s, reflects what this campaign is all about: resilience, determination and refusing to let barriers define their future and a passionate belief in the power of education to transform futures: not only for one child or young person but for everyone impacted by the ripple effects of their education! Watch Harry’s video message.