It was during the Victorian era that philanthropists started trying to make a sustainable difference to the world in which we live and there are many wonderful examples of charitable work which has gone on to leave a permanent mark on the world we live in. Social housing, the NHS and our universal education system all have their roots in this era. However when you examine the story of these successes it is clear that genuine transformational change only happens when charities have worked in partnership with the State and business. Today the worlds largest transformational charities realise this.

I’ve just returned from a visit to Goma, a city of 1 million people in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Surprisingly, there are a number of schools but few young children are able to attend them.  Most of the population collects their daily supply of water from the lake.  A family of eight uses a substantial amount of water and when this has to carried long distances, with women and children typically spending up to 6 hours each day on the round trips, there is little time for the remainder of the day’s essential tasks, including education.