The Queen's Commonwealth Trust Explained

The Queen's Commonwealth Trust
Size:130px
Formation:April 2018
Registration Id:1172107
Headquarters:London, United Kingdom
Website:http://www.queenscommonwealthtrust.org

The Queen's Commonwealth Trust (QCT) is a charity that supports youths aged 18-35 across the Commonwealth.[1] The charity's focus is on social entrepreneurs who have founded organisations to address problems in their communities. Queen Elizabeth II, the charity's patron, was succeeded by King Charles III.

History and mission

The Queen's Commonwealth Trust, also known as QCT, was launched on 21 April 2018 (the Queen's 92nd birthday) with her patronage and her grandson Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex as president.[2] After marriage, Harry's wife Meghan was appointed vice president later that year. The couple retained their positions until February 2021.[3] In May 2024, King Charles III became the charity's patron.[4]

The QCT seeks to elevate the work of young people in their efforts for change and to equalise their efforts with professional organisations.[5] The Trust operates as a network for young changemakers throughout the Commonwealth, to fund, connect, and platform discussions and projects on a local level.[6] Periodically, online QCT chat sessions are conducted and uploaded to YouTube for public viewing.[7]

In March 2019, The Queen's Trust gave QCT its final funds of £2,672,287 from a planned run-down.[8]

In 2021, model Naomi Campbell became a global ambassador for QCT.

In the financial year 2020/2021, QCT paid nearly all of its income on staff costs, £787,314 of the £796,106 it raised. The staff costs of its five senior executives was £420,000. The charity put this down the difficulties of raising donations during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The charity operated at a large deficit during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 financial years.[10]

Projects

QCT finds and funds youths who are making a difference in their local communities. Projects and organisations supported by the Trust revolve around the issues of poverty, climate change, lack of access to healthcare, education and unemployment.

QCT Funded Projects!Organisation!Founder(s)!Country
Justice Defenders (formerly African Prisons Project)Alexander McleanUganda/Kenya
The Justice DeskJessica DewhurstSouth Africa
GirlDreamerAmna Akhtar and Kiran KaurUnited Kingdom
Eco BrixsAndy Bownds and Gee ElliottUganda
Uganda MarathonHenry BlanchardUganda
Unloc / Acts of GratitudeHayden Taylor and Ben Dowling (Unloc) / Jean D’Amour Mutoni (AoG)Rwanda
Hope for Children CameroonJoannes YimbesaluCameroon
Nature Fun RanchCorey LaneBarbados
iDebateJean MichelRwanda
KisobokaStephen KatendeUganda
MAYEINEdem OssaiNigeria
Boundless MindsBenjamin RukwengyeUganda
Planet Green AfricaMwayi Kampesi and Atu KampesiMalawi
RBA InitiativeErick VenantTanzania
OneDay HealthNicolas LaingUganda
WISECaroline OderaKenya
IYANDaniel MisakiUganda
Ukani MalawiTemwa Chirembo and Modester MangilaniMalawi

2019 OYW Partnership

In 2019, The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust partnered with One Young World (OYW) to offer QCT Scholarships to 53 leaders – one from every Commonwealth country – to attend the 2019 OYW Summit in London, UK from 22–25 October.[11] One Young World is a preeminent global forum for young adults who have demonstrated a commitment to affecting positive change. The organisation received over 5,000 applications, out of which 53 were selected.[12] The following list contains the 2019 QCTxOYW scholarship winners from the first cohort:[13]

2019 QCTxOYW Winners!Name!Country
Felix Richard ManyogoteTanzania
Glenn Marc SteinSouth Africa
Marie Jeva Anael BodwellSeychelles
Siddhant SarangIndia
Costase NdayishimiyeRwanda
Kaene DisepoBotswana
Kaveto TjatjaraNamibia
Daniel NyabadzaMozambique
Hopolang MathabaLesotho
Innocents Yeboah-NumGhana
Jacqueline MutumbaUganda
Melusi SimelaneEswatini
Muhammed TourayThe Gambia
Matthew Lam JoarKenya
Noriah Tadala KatungweMalawi
Patu Ndango FenCameroon
Samantha MiyandaZambia
Sandra AjajaNigeria
Sarvesh LutchmunMauritius
Yasmine Bilkis IbrahimSierra Leone
Adeline Ng Kai WenMalaysia
Gulnahar Mahbub MonikaBangladesh
Hafiz Usama TanveerPakistan
Prabath ManaperumaSri Lanka
Queenie ChongBrunei
Sebastian Hoe Wee KiatSingapore
Amanda ScottGrenada
Benedict E.J BryanTrinidad and Tobago
Christaneisha SoleynBarbados
Dentrecia BlanchetteSaint Kitts and Nevis
Eber RavariereDominica
Jasmine DuncanSaint Lucia
Jason RickettsJamaica
Jubilanté Cutting
Kirkland McIntoshBahamas
Lance CopegogCanada
Lezli McCullochBelize
Rickisha TerryAntigua & Barbuda
Ruth StoweSaint Vincent and the Grenadines
Seutatia-ia-NoueSamoa
Saia MataeleTonga
Rinesh SharmaFiji
Pania NewtonNew Zealand
Millicent BartySolomon Islands
Megan Elaine IhaPapua New Guinea
Lisepa PaeniuTuvalu
Lisa RapleyAustralia
George QuadinaNauru
Cedric PanielVanuatu
Maria KolaCyprus
Eman BorgGozo/Malta
Alice SparksUnited Kingdom

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: THE QUEEN'S COMMONWEALTH TRUST - Overview (free company information from Companies House). beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. en. 30 May 2020.
  2. News: Queen Elizabeth to celebrate 92nd birthday at concert party . 27 October 2020 . Reuters . 19 April 2018.
  3. Web site: Harry and Meghan not returning as working members of Royal Family. BBC. 19 February 2021. 19 February 2021.
  4. Web site: His Majesty King Charles III announced as Patron of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust. The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. 10 May 2024 . 12 May 2024.
  5. Web site: About . The Queen's Commonwealth Trust . 27 October 2020.
  6. News: FOUSSIANES . Chloe . Meghan Markle Named Vice President of the Queen's Commonwealth Trust . 27 October 2020 . Town & Country . 8 March 2019.
  7. Web site: The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. YouTube. 21 October 2020.
  8. Web site: Annual Report & Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2021 . pdf . The Queen's Commonwealth Trust . 21 February 2022.
  9. News: Website of Queen's charity promotes Prince Harry's US coaching firm . Allen . Peter . Jon Ungoed-Thomas . The Guardian . 19 February 2022 . 21 February 2022.
  10. News: The Queen's Commonwealth Trust . Charity no. 1172107 . Charity Commission . 21 February 2022.
  11. Web site: Hello World: Digital Education. The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. en. 30 May 2020.
  12. Web site: Queen's Commonwealth Trust Scholarship to send 53 young leaders to One Young World 2019 Summit One Young World. www.oneyoungworld.com. 30 May 2020.
  13. Web site: One Young World: Introducing QCT's 2019 cohort!. The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. en. 30 May 2020.