CARA (Charity No. 1135610) promotes education and training by pursuing the educational goals and the broader goal of universal basic education for all by the year 2015. It directs its efforts at improving enrolment and retention in primary , secondary, further education and university education and also gender disparities at primary and secondary education levels.

Emphasis is placed on the quality of education and the development of partnerships between tertiary and basic education institutions in maintaining and improving quality throughout the education system, as well as standardised qualification frameworks. CARA focuses on citizenship education, which is based on multiculturalism, heritage and human rights.

Worried about problems at school?

Deciding about your child's education?

Need independent advice and support?

Our Main Activities include amongst others:
* Offering help to the community on education by liaising with schools, colleges, and universities in order to help pupils/students and their parents to find studying places;
* Giving a helping hand on filling out school applications and forms, especially to those whom English is not their first language;
* For those who do not find places, CARAorganises ESOL courses;
* Helping with after school class activities;
* Advising parents on many issues that may affect children's schooling, including: choosing a school, appealing for a school place, difficulties with learning and behaviour (Special Educational Needs - SEN), bullying, exclusion from school (expulsion and suspension) and racism;
* If you live in the UK , especially in the London Boroughs of Hackney Islington or Haringey, or your child attends an Islington School , CARA may be able to help;
* Telephone Advice Lines: General advice line : 020 7254 6415 or Direct Line: 07956 95 26 45 and Exclusion information line : 020 7254 6415 or Direct Line: 07956 95 26 45 ;
* Campaigning for Universal Primary Education and Gender Education;
* Mitigating the Impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic;
* Helping people to take the opportunity of using Distance Learning;

CARA is seeking for funding in order to put in place a successful project in education and research designed to increase opportunities for all its members. It gives pupils, students and their parents a helping hand and also provides the experience of living in another country in a case where a student has to do part of their studies abroad.

* CARA shall apply for funding from the European Union from EU education, training and youth programmes in order to help students who would do studies and training in another member state with support. This is because the European funds are available to help small and medium-sized enterprises in Britain by funding language teaching in-house to enable them to compete with larger companies on the European stage.

* As 10,000 students in Britain benefit each year from the EU's Erasmus exchange programme, which enables students to spend time studying in other EU countries, CARA shall promote by encouraging its members to take advantage of this programme.

Our training shall target its training for women in Europe and shall run seminars to establish areas where action is needed to enable women to gain necessary professional qualifications.

CARA is an independent charitable organisation advising pupils, students, parents and carers. It offers information about state funded education in England and Wales for everyone, including those aged 5-19 year olds.

As a registered charity, full member of the Office of Immigration Services Commisioner (OISC), Advice UK and in the process of applying for the Community Legal Service's Quality Mark for general help, we offer free telephone advice on all education issues, including exclusion from school, bullying, special educational needs and school admission appeals.

If you want to contact us, please ring 020 7254 6415 or Direct Line: 07956 95 26 45. We shall produce a range of advice booklets for parents that give practical step-by-step advice about how to deal with problems at school. Anyone whose child has been excluded from school shall be entitled to a free exclusion pack.

Our frequently asked questions may help answer your query. While our jargon page explains many common educational terms. Anyone wishing to share his/her experiences with other parents shall be welcome to visit our discussion forum.

ACCESSIBILITY* ;
CARA is committed to providing accessible materials for parents with disabilities or special needs. We shall consider individual requests for specially adapted materials, and will attempt to make reasonable adjustments. For instance, we shall seek funding in order to translate some school booklets in African mother tongues and further record them on tape for parents with visual impairments or literacy difficulties.

PARENTS' comments
“I call on everyone to use CARA's services, as this is the best thing that has happened to African people living in the UK” (Mr Malekani Leon)

“Concise and easy to understand” (Ms Florence Botchway)

“I give full marks to CARA! If only other organisations aimed to your standards” (Mr Bonard Kiakebo)

“CARA is the best charitable organisation for Africans, please big it up” (Ms Filigence Wamengwa Kizengi)

“CARA's staffs are calm, understanding and very informative” (Mr Joachim Senakuku)

“I was very impressed with the warmth welcome and help I got” (Ms Claudine Libinza)

Please Help Raise Money for CARA
If you donate online, and are eligible, please tick the giftaid it box. For every pound you donate we get an extra 28p from the Inland Revenue.