The Kensington + Chelsea Foundation, official charity partner of the King’s Road Partnership BID, has released ‘Fawzia’s Story,’ a case-study of a 15 year-old girl living in severe poverty, to highlight the difference their work can make to the lives of young people in the borough.

Fawzia lives in severe poverty sharing a cramped two-bedroom flat with several siblings, her mother and extended family members. Fawzia’s father was the primary wage earner but, after his death several years ago, the family have been in extreme financial difficulty.

Mental health issues and low self-esteem led Fawzia to feel she was falling behind at school and unable to cope. She began to self-harm, and her home environment made study impossible causing her to fall even further behind with her schoolwork.

The K+C Foundation invests in a project for young people in North Kensington whose lack of digital access or safe spaces means they are unable to study at home. Students including Fawzia, are invited to stay after school three times a week, given a free nutritious hot meal, and can use computers and learning resources to complete their homework.

Since attending these sessions Fawzia’s progress has been remarkable. Her mental health and self-esteem have improved, she has stopped self-harming and her attainment in core subjects has improved by two grades.

Fawzia’s head teacher comments:

“This project has been hugely beneficial for Fawzia – we’ve seen a real transformation in terms of her grades, wellbeing and engagement in school life.  She is a very capable girl and this has given her the boost she needed to really thrive and reach her potential.”

How can your business help the K+C Foundation help children like Fawzia? All logged in members have access to the charity’s advice for how to support their mission, here.