A report published by the Charities Commission shows that for larger charities in the UK, 92% of the Trustees are aged between 55 and 64.
A report published by the Charities Commission shows that for larger charities in the UK, 92% of the Trustees are aged between 55 and 64.
The UK’s first ever child CEO, 11-year-old Shakira Rahman, has been appointed by Penny Appeal onto its charity board in a groundbreaking new move to understand children’s issues from a child’s perspective.
Shakira will be visiting Penny Appeal’s projects around the world, as well as helping to solve some of the most pressing issues children in the UK are facing, including poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence.
Already having visited the Gambia with Penny Appeal to learn about some of the issues children there are facing and even going to school with them, Shakira is changing the way charities approach the issues they strive to solve.
I’m so excited to be Penny Appeal’s Kid Boss! A lot of kids don’t have a voice, and its my job to make sure they get heard. Because we are the future of this country, of this world…now we just have to make grown-ups understand that!”
Shakira Rahman
A report published by the Charities Commission shows that for larger charities in the UK, 92% of the Trustees are aged between 55 and 64. Of the 700,000 Trustees that make up UK charities, over 90% are white. While this may reflect the general demographics of small-town UK charities, many argue that these numbers show a serious lack of diversity within the charitable circles of the country.
Penny Appeal hopes that with Shakira, they can help bring about the change that so many charities around the UK desperately need. By having a young role model for not only Muslims but children from all backgrounds around the world, Penny Appeal hopes that many will take inspiration to get involved in charity work.
As a child CEO, Shakira’s role is to make sure children’s issues are at the heart of Penny Appeal’s future and to bring a youthful perspective to our team. There is a negative correlation between experience and imagination and we are optimistic Shakira will bring a fresh young paradigm to the work we do whilst informing a renewed focus on the needs of children.”
Aamer Naeem, Senior CEO
Nicknamed the Kid Boss by Penny Appeal, Shakira will be the face of the charity for much of the issues surrounding children around the world. Be sure to stay tuned for more projects and work from both Shakira and Penny Appeal!
