Employees from Capital International have returned from their final visit to the Huruma Orphanage in Arusha, Tanzania, marking the conclusion of a three-year partnership that has raised more than £94,000 to help the organisation become self-sufficient.

For the past three years, staff have been invited to submit fundraising pitches for the opportunity to travel to Tanzania and see first-hand the impact of their work. The company has supported the orphanage since chairman Anthony Long first visited and decided to help improve conditions for the children living there.

This year, 15 employees from the Isle of Man and South Africa offices were selected to make the trip after successfully presenting their fundraising ideas. Each participant was required to raise £1,800 to cover travel costs and to contribute directly to the orphanage.

The 2025 visit was the last in a series of three, during which Capital International’s support has enabled the orphanage to become financially secure and independent.

Among those who travelled were graduate trainee Becca Ormesha and managing director Gavin Perry.

Capital International employees at the Huruma Orphanage in Tanzania.
Capital International employees at the Huruma Orphanage in Tanzania. (Capital International)

Mr Perry said: ‘Mama Eusebio, who is the lead at the orphanage, read out quite an emotional speech at the end about the impact and contribution over the past three years. It has been life-changing for them.’

The orphanage had previously faced eviction, but over the course of the partnership, funds have been used to buy land, build a day care centre to generate income, and develop facilities including showers, toilets and a dining area. These improvements have allowed the orphanage to stand on its own without financial dependence.

Mr Perry said: ‘First and foremost, it was an incredible opportunity to be given. This exercise hasn’t been about Capital, it’s been about giving back to the community.

‘Anthony has been a figurehead in our conscious capital programme, which is about giving back to the communities in which we operate. We have a number of programmes in the Isle of Man, in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and this has been a three-year programme in Arusha. It’s not for our benefit, it’s for the benefit of the community.’

Ms Ormesha, who has been with the company for a year, said she was eager to take part when she first heard about the initiative and was inspired by the commitment shown by previous participants.

Volunteers from Capital International working at the site of the Huruma Project in Tanzania
Volunteers from Capital International working at the site of the Huruma Project in Tanzania (-)

‘I think the sense of community that I gained was something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life,’ she said. ‘Being able to share that with colleagues has been so important. I now know so many more people across the business in a different context, which is an added bonus of the whole trip.’

Over the past three years, Capital International’s partnership has provided lasting improvements to the orphanage’s infrastructure and helped secure its future. The project, employees said, has also strengthened bonds between colleagues and reinforced the company’s focus on community involvement at home and abroad.