The official statements from Sentebale.
Dr Sophie Chandauka MBE, Chair of Sentebale said:
“I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025. The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience. We have continued to directly serve children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana with the steadfast support of long-standing funders, strategic partners, and community leaders. Our phenomenal team will directly serve more than 78,000 children and young people this year, matching or exceeding our impact in 2024 at a time of acute need in the region. I thank every dedicated colleague and the courageous new Board members who have stayed focused on the mission in the face of unprecedented media glare. The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private. We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact. Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato. To all who believe in our mission: please walk with us as Sentebale recovers, renews, and rises to meet the hopes and expectations of the next generation.”
Iain Rawlinson, Trustee of Sentebale said:
“I am grateful to the Charity Commission for the thoroughness of its work. With its findings, and with clarity provided by the Action Plan, the transformation work envisioned from 2023 can now be completed. This will propel the Charity’s strategy forward for providing solutions addressing health, wealth and climate resilience for children and young people in Southern Africa and will provide comfort to all our stakeholders in Africa and internationally that the organisation’s governance arrangements have been updated and are complete. This will in turn facilitate our due diligence processes with individual donors and major funding institutions who are keen to work with us to support our strategy.”
Dr Bhakti Hansoti, Trustee of Sentebale said:
“I am pleased the Charity Commission has placed its confidence in Sentebale, the current Board and its leadership team. This affirmation allows us to continue the critical work we do—work that is needed now more than ever. In a time of global uncertainty and declining foreign assistance, funding for essential services in Southern Africa is increasingly limited. And the effect will be felt most by young Africans. They not only face immense health challenges, from ongoing challenges with HIV and TB and new threats such as mpox and VHF, but often lack the resources to recover, build wealth, and support their families. Sentebale exists to change that reality. The Charity Commission’s findings reaffirm the direction we’ve been taking. It’s important amidst all the noise to highlight the Commission’s concerns centered around governance—specifically, issues that pertained to the previous Board. Today, Sentebale is governed by a new Board which is committed to best practice. I’m honoured to be a part of this small but dedicated team that we will be building upon soon. We’re focused on instituting robust governance practices and policies to ensure transparency, accountability, and effectiveness.”
Carmel Gaillard, Executive Director of Sentebale said:
“The conclusion of the UK Charity Commission’s case review marks an important moment of reflection and of recognition. Despite the understandable uncertainty this process created, our entire team never wavered. Their commitment to the young people and communities we serve remained steadfast, and our work continued without interruption. We are profoundly grateful for our partners across Lesotho and Botswana. Their trust in us as one of the region’s most respected and reliable implementing partners has meant everything. They stood by us, confident in our impact, our values and in the integrity of our work. With the Commission’s review now closed, we move forward with focus and clarity, continuing to serve, uplift, and empower the young people of Southern Africa.”
ENDS