CARA
18 - 22 Ashwin Street
Dalston
Hackney
E8 3DL

CARA (Charity No. 1135610) is an independent charity that was set up in July 2003 to provide free legal advice and representation to people facing disadvantage. It is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) committed and dedicated to empowering the poor by promoting justice, health, education and social development of all of its members and the public and improving the quality of life of the disadvantaged people of our community in the United Kingdom and Africa.

Its activities include:
Health: striving to reduce childhood death and illness;
Water and sanitation: provision of clean water and adequate sanitation;
HIV/AIDS: prevention, care and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS;
Education: providing quality basic education for all, especially girls;
Protection: protection for people affected by conflict, natural disaster and exploitation;
Translation & Interpresentation Services in French, Portuguese, Somali, Kinyarwanda, Lingala & English;
Legal: helping the poor to know, understand and achieve their rights;

We rely on our members and the generosity of the public in securing donations and legacies so that we can continue the work we provide. You can help us to raise money by making an international money transfer or paying any donation straight into CARA's bank account, which details are as follows: HSBC - Account №: 61408461 - Sort Code: 40-06-25 - IBAN: GB11MIDL40062561408461 - BIC: MIDLGB2142N

Our vision includes:

I.1. promoting justice, health, education, social development and other charitable purposes such as advise, advocacy, information, referrals, immigration and welfare advise, drug misuse awareness, neighbourhood initiatives, community development, translation, interpretation, research and family mediation.

I.2. involving service users, especially those who are disadvantaged like disabled, older, children and young people, in the planning of services and improving the welfare of all the public.

I.3 empowering disadvantaged communities and all aliens to understand and integrate into the British society successfully and enabling African immigrants to understand British social policies very well in order to find ways of implementing them into the community.

I.4. valuing diversity, collaborative working/sharing of best practices, resources and providing training for professionals working with Central African community and helping in the rehabilitation of offenders and other disadvantaged disabled, old and young people; women victims of domestic violence and those who are pregnant and new mothers.

1. To provide advisory and other services promoting justice, health, education and social development. Its activities include giving advice, information, advocacy, referrals, drug misuse awareness, neighbourhood initiatives, community development, translation, interpretation, research and family mediation.

2. To offer open door advice sessions, specialist advice on health issues such as HIV/AIDS pandemic, STDs, use of condoms, healthy eating, etc.

3. To offer helps the community on education by liaising with schools, colleges, and universities in order to help pupils/students and their parents to find studying places. For those who do not find places, CARA Society organises ESOL courses. Further, it helps with after school class activities.

4. To provide support by giving a helping hand to the community, especially to those whose first language is not English or language barrier by providing advice on immigration and welfare, One Stop Shop for refugees and asylum seekers, County Court Lay Advice Scheme, helping the community to fill out application forms for schools, funding, housing, Social Security, etc.