IN-credible Highlights of 2025

In order to move forward with greater understanding and purpose, it’s a good starting point to reflect.

We wanted to share with you our 2025 highlights, all of which are deeply connected to our IN supporter community, our partnership with the wider IN Network around the world, and seeing our purpose of empowering families come into fruition through some of the awesome projects of last year.

12 images from 2025: Nepalese Lydia Ladies graduates, Pastor Joshua, Women’s Empowerment Programme, Marathon runners, Golf Day, water project photos, Surf Stage Festival, Kiyindi classroom photos, Danny speaking at a team day, marathon runner Joanna, an IN wheelchair basketball event, the Disability Inclusion Project and IDMC gospel choir

Hear from our team through their personal highlights, and if you wish to share any 2025 highlights from a supporter’s perspective, we would honestly be so itching to hear. Email me at zoe@ineeds.org.uk and let me know if I have permission to share your thoughts across our online platforms!

As I flicked through photos from 2025 to choose twelve highlights for our social media, this had to be my personal favourite:

Pastor Joshua and his pure, gentle smile.

If you didn’t know the backstory, it might just seem like a nice moment. But this one photo tells a story of patience, love and commitment. This snapshot captures Pastor Joshua’s joy whilst holding up a map of the future Leadership and Talent Centre.

To think that this story goes back to 2006 (exactly 20 years ago!), where Pastor Joshua Kirani first led the Grace Empowerment Programme in Kenya, working with street youth and helping instil self-love in some of the most vulnerable. He has humbly and quietly helped and encouraged those cast out by society and in deep poverty, many of whom turn to drugs like glue to mask the pain.

Pastor Joshua is someone who firmly believes in hope and lives out that belief by working with the rejected, showing compassion and helping them see their own beauty and potential. A long-held dream for the construction of a purpose-built vocational centre, The Leadership and Talent Centre, is now finally becoming reality!

By Zoë Atherton, Communications Officer

Walking alongside communities

For some of our IN UK team, the most moving moments of 2025 came from spending time with people positively impacted by your donations, and witnessing their transformation.

Former street boys, Bravin, Collins, Joseph and Pintos are photographed together with Kim Wright and Pastor Joshua on the left; and on the right the Grace Empowerment team joins them for a photo

“It has been a privilege to spend time visiting and meeting with the young men and team at Grace Empowerment in Kenya. Watching these young men take their first steps towards stability: learning to live together in a home, discovering the gospel, and slowly building trust in one another was deeply moving. It reminds me that transformation takes time, patience, and consistent love.

Kim is here pictured with Oliver, who works as a cleaner, and Irene (with the bandana) who works as a cook

In Uganda, I had the opportunity to work closely with the sponsorship team, walking through the entire process together. This included visiting villages, understanding how children are identified for sponsorship and meeting families who are in genuine need of support. Sitting with parents as they signed up their children was humbling, and seeing their excitement at the prospect of education was powerful.

Returning to the UK and witnessing all 11 children receive sponsorship through the generosity of our wonderful INUK supporters was a moment of real celebration!”

By Kim Wright, Donor Care Manager

Celebrating partnership closer to home

Some of the most joyful moments of 2025 were spent closer to home, celebrating with supporters who make all of this work possible. Alison Mbugua, Head of Programmes and Fundraising, shares her main highlights:

Ali at Surf Stage Festival, including her children/little helpers!

“One of my highlights from 2025 was… spending time with our wonderful supporters at Surf Stage Festival in July. It was so great to catch up, share the latest from IN, enjoy the festival and worship together. My kids loved the bouncy castles and all the crafts. We are so grateful to Rachel and Katie for choosing IN as their charity partner, and for all our very committed supporters in the area. Raising £6,468 to help buy furniture for the new classrooms at our partner school in Uganda was a big win. Thank you for having us!”

Moments that inspire!

Meaningful partnerships within our IN Network around the world, and seeing their passion shared so openly, was a big highlight for Grace King, Partnerships Manager.

“My personal highlight was the visit from Pastor Nathan back in May. It was a real privilege to get to know his passion for the work in Egypt and to meet lots of our supporters with him.”

Grace pictured at a 2025 team day, along with Kirsty, Kim, Ellie and Danny

And for our Programmes and Partnerships Manager, Asmau Durnin, seeing tangible progress on the ground was deeply encouraging.

Amy Conroy speaks with Ali behind the scenes of filming for The Big Give Christmas appeal

“Our engagement with Amy Conroy was exciting for me particularly in promoting the Big Give’s Christmas challenge for DIP.

The new classrooms in Kiyindi!

It was also lovely to see the newly built classrooms at Kiyindi. Both will make a big difference in the lives of underserved children in Uganda.”

Looking Ahead to 2026 

“The road ahead isn’t promised to be easy. The political landscape keeps shifting. Economic pressures are not letting up. The needs feel massive compared to our resources. It is easy to feel small in the face of such a big mission. But small steps taken together still move us forward.

My prayer for 2026 isn’t that we don’t face challenges. It’s that we find courage to face them together. That we remember people matter more than programmes. That we stay focused on hearts, not just outcomes.”

By Edmond Vanderpuye, General Secretary of the International Needs Network