Published in September 2023

At Sand Dams Worldwide, one of our chief concerns is to make sure that supporters’ donations are used in the most impactful, effective and efficient way possible, so that our sand dam projects can continue to help more vulnerable dryland communities to thrive.

As you can imagine, we receive funding in all shapes and all sizes, from small individual donations to bigger multi-year grants. Some contributions will have been known about for some time, while others will come ‘out of the blue’. Each of these donations is needed, and all are incredibly appreciated, especially as what we and other charities need above all is a dependable source of income that we can count on, and more importantly, that we can plan our future work around.

That is why gifts in Wills, or legacy donations, are so important to charities. By leaving a gift in your Will to a cause you feel strongly about, you are helping that charity to budget for the future and to plan for the long-term. And it is a form of giving that has grown in popularity, to the extent that nearly 1 in 6 of all new Wills written in 2021 left a gift to charity.

"On that note, we are excited to be taking part in Remember a Charity Week. From 11th-17th September we are joining with 200 other UK charities to raise awareness of the benefits of gifts in Wills, and - if you are looking for help to write a Will or amend an existing Will – we will be providing details of services and schemes you can approach for expert advice."

To find out more and to get involved, please do visit our web page here.

I should add that Remember a Charity Week isn’t just for our supporters! It provides a perfect opportunity for the staff and trustees at Sand Dams Worldwide to learn more about legacies and consider how we can support legacy giving in our day-today work. To that end we are holding a special legacy giving team quiz on Wednesday September 13th. Look out for the team photo and quiz result on our social media channels! 

A legacy gift is a gift for the future made now. In that respect it is not unlike a sand dam, which will carry on benefiting communities year after year. We expect many sand dams will still be providing clean water and opportunity for generations to come, transforming not only the lives of the people that built them, but of their children and grandchildren too.

“As a member of a community who has benefited from a legacy donation, our lives have been transformed and we shall forever remember those who supported us. Legacy funded projects make such a big difference to people’s lives.” 

Veronica Katio, Meko Maw’o self help group member, southeast Kenya. 

We do of course understand that making a Will is a very personal and sensitive process and is your decision to make in your own time. We will never ask you tell us if you decide to leave a gift to Sand Dams Worldwide and you can change your mind at any time.

Please join us on Remember a Charity Week. On behalf of everyone at Sand Dams Worldwide, thank you!

Please donate what you can and help to create lasting change with sand dams: