Ripple Africa
Analysis
Ripple Africa is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Buckingham. It was registered in April 2004, 22 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the advancement of health or saving of lives, environment/conservation/heritage and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under health and saving lives. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04823686). It says it provides human resources and provides buildings/facilities/open space.
In the financial year ending May 2025, Ripple Africa reported income of £2.8m and spending of £2.1m, leaving 26% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from May 2021 to May 2025, income grew from £892k to £2.8m (+211%), an average of +33% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to May 2022, when income rose by 59%. Over the whole period it spent 85% of the income it received.
Among 24,651 England and Wales charities whose main cause is health and saving lives and that reported income, Ripple Africa sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Malawi Relief Fund UK (£2.8m), Age Cymru (£2.8m) and Age UK Camden (£2.8m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 55% and charitable activities 45%. Charitable activities took 88% of spending and raising funds 11%. Reserves of £1.2m would cover about 7 months of spending at that rate. It employed 224 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 55%
- Charitable activities 45%
- Investments 0.2%
- Other 0.0%
In the charity's own words
We aim to help rural Malawians sustainably manage their natural resources through large scale tree planting, forest conservation and fuel efficient cookstove projects.We relieve poverty and improve food security through community led fisheries management in Lake Malawi and improved agricultural practices.We aim to improve education and healthcare standards near our Malawi base at Mwaya.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Malawi Relief Fund UK | Lancashire | £2.8m |
| Age Cymru | Cardiff | £2.8m |
| Age UK Camden | London | £2.8m |
| Claremont Care (Corsham) Limited | Wiltshire | £2.8m |