On 26th January, URBOND hosted its first conference. Our guests enjoyed an afternoon of presentations of all three of the programmes which are the Community Integration, Youth Development and Child Education along with an insight into the charity goals for 2023.

Under the charity’s Community Integration Programme, URBOND have succeeded to bring together a staggering 40,583 people in Portsmouth spanning 78 different nationalities since inception in 2013. In 2022 alone, the charity had over 2,500 participants and beneficiaries under the programme.

URBOND Youth Development Programme, which is working to drive opportunities, wellness and success for young people, has benefitted almost 4,000 participants in the city with 147 of those engaging with the charity activities and support every single week. The charity works with children and young people particularly where issues such as crime and low-income are prevalent.

URBOND’s Child Education Programme has seen almost 3,000 primary school children supported in The Republic of Guinea, West Africa which is working to improve children's access to education in areas where they would otherwise go without. In 2022, the URBOND built a brand-new toilet facility for girls which over 600 girls now have access to every day, delivered menstruation and hygiene workshops, donated 2,200 basic items such as menstruation kits and dental hygiene equipment, taught English speaking classes to over 600 children, built a secure sports facility sponsored by the charity long term partner Richmond Motor Group which over 1000 people now have daily access to, delivered irregular migration workshops, and facilitated disabled children with 1:1 support.

This year URBOND has plans to reach out to larger audience in Portsmouth to help advance racial harmony, equality and diversity. The Youth Development Programme is looking to grow relationships with local businesses and schools to expand and engage with more young people, providing them access to education and employment. URBOND’s Child Education Programme is planning to provide clean water to their partner school, open a technical training centre to provide job opportunities for young people, give disabled children the facilities and resources to go to school, build a school in a remote area of the country where children currently have no access to education and many more exciting projects to support the underprivileged communities.

Thank you to University of Portsmouth, Business and Law for hosting us and thank you to long term partner Richmond Motor Group for their ongoing support and POOW Media for helping change lives.