Your questions answered

Zamzam Foundation is a respected Somali charity and the country’s leading national, charitable aid organisation. It is working in all areas across the country to overcome the challenges of climate change and conflict and help families lift themselves out of poverty. This is the website for Zamzam Foundation UK, and we are working to raise awareness and funds in the UK and internationally in support of Zamzam’s transformational work across Somalia.

ZZF was set up in 1992 to support the people of Somalia through an unprecedented humanitarian crisis following the collapse of the central government the previous year and the severe famine that ensued. As an organisation established and run by Somalis for Somalis, from the outset ZZF’s work has been deeply rooted in the needs and priorities of the communities we serve. ZZF UK exists to raise awareness about the work of ZZF in the UK and raise funds to support that work.

Zamzam Foundation UK is the working name of Somali Relief and Development Forum (SRDF), Charity Number 1143208, a charity first registered in the UK in 2011. We are now using the name Zamzam Foundation UK following an agreement between the trustees of SRDF and those of Zamzam Foundation in Somalia. It is our UK trustees who are legally liable for our governance and management in the UK, serving the organisation on a voluntary basis and meeting at least quarterly to oversee, steer and evaluate our work. We currently have four trustees, all of whom are of Somali origin or born in the UK to Somali parents. The day-to-day management of ZZF UK is overseen by our trustees in the UK.

Zamzam Foundation in Somalia has a staff of around 500 people. Its commitment to local communities means it places a lot of emphasis on employing local people all over the country to help develop and deliver local projects that meet local needs. It is committed to equal opportunities for all, recruiting through open advertising to find people with the strongest skills and experience for every job. This includes qualified teachers to work in Zamzam schools, healthcare professionals for ZZF health clinics, technical specialists to oversee water projects, and trained mediators to work in peacebuilding.

Zamzam Foundation UK does not yet have any permanent staff in the UK and will not appoint any unless or until the growth of our operation requires it, to keep costs down and ensure that we maximise the funds we raise and deliver for our programmes in Somalia. We have a handful of specialist advisors in the UK who are helping us on a part-time basis with legal, financial, fundraising and communications matters. Our four UK trustees all support us on an entirely voluntary basis.