British Institute in Eastern Africa
Analysis
British Institute in Eastern Africa is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in March 1997, 29 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, overseas aid/famine relief, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under overseas aid and international. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03341342). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides buildings/facilities/open space and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending March 2025, British Institute in Eastern Africa reported income of £884k and spending of £847k, spending 96% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £795k to £884k (+11%), an average of +2.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 52%. Over the whole period it spent 97% of the income it received.
Among 1,223 England and Wales charities whose main cause is overseas aid and international and that reported income, British Institute in Eastern Africa sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 93rd percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Kashmir Youth Project (£871k), Chinmaya Mission ( UK ) (£887k) and Goreeb and Yateem Trust Fund (£846k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 84%, charitable activities 4.9%, trading 3.5% and investments 2.2%. Charitable activities took 87% of spending and raising funds 8.1%. Reserves of £774k would cover about 10 months of spending at that rate. It employed 20 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 84%
- Charitable activities 4.9%
- Trading 3.5%
- Investments 2.2%
- Other 5.7%
In the charity's own words
The BIEA is active in research into the history, archaeology and social sciences of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and surrounding countries. It encourages research by individual scholars, works with the universities, museums and antiquities services of the eastern African countries and liaises with international scholarship. It maintains a centre for research and a library at its base in Nairobi.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Kashmir Youth Project | Lancashire | £871k |
| Chinmaya Mission ( UK ) | London | £887k |
| Goreeb and Yateem Trust Fund | London | £846k |
| Play Action International | London | £894k |