Who are we?
Gifting Goals provides support to educational, health and early child development projects in Djibouti but is also focused on raising awareness in the UK of the challenges faced by countries like Djibouti, located in the hottest region on the planet. Most significantly the challenges to achieving the UN sustainable development goals.
Gifting Goals is providing resource and support to rural communities in Djibouti to enable children to thrive into adulthood with the skills and opportunities that will enable them to dream about a longer future. In a country where less than 5% of the rural population live to 55, support is crucial.
Vital to the future of children in the hottest area of the planet is a wider understanding of the real challenge of living in such conditions whilst also struggling with poverty, lack of clean water and sanitation. Rural Djibouti has been in drought for over 15 years and fewer than 2% of rural families have access to electricity. Raising awareness of the challenges faced by these communities is a key part of Gifting Goals work.
Raising funds and awareness enables Gifting Goals to provide a unique experience – to see first hand the outcomes of fundraising. Donors to Gifting Goals are invited to travel with the charity to support vital work in the communities being supported.
Founder and Chair of Trustees Amy Joynes
In 2020 as a keen paddle boarder Amy supported Ambassador Jordan Wylie MBE’s record breaking paddle around Britain where he was raising money to build the AsEyla Pre School in Djibouti. In 2021 Jordan invited Amy to travel to Djibouti to see the finished pre school. Amy immediately wanted to do more to support this incredible community and so set about raising funds to increase the footprint of the pre-school which was rapidly becoming a vital community hub. Amy continued to travel annually to Djibouti and liaise with agencies on the ground. In 2024 Amy met Danielle and the two connected over a common purpose - to improve the life chances of children in remote areas of the world most affected by poverty and climate. Education and Sport is Amy’s background, with 30 years experience of education leadership and an international sporting career she knows the difference that education makes to life chances and opportunities but also what sport can do to contribute to children’s ability to thrive in school and life. In February 2025 Amy travelled to Djibouti with her children and undertook further research into the work that could support communities, and connected with key Government agencies to identify projects. Amy liaises with schools and Trusts in the UK to share the message that children are the future and having an understanding of their world that enables them to make a difference in the world they will grow up in is crucial to our planet’s sustainability.
Co-Founder and Trustee Danielle Begg
Danielle’s first connection to Djibouti was sadly following the death of her son Jordan in 2021. As a friend of Jordan Wylie MBE, Danielle’s son was inspired to ‘be the difference that makes a difference’ and in his short 9 years dedicated hours of his time to charitable causes - at one point running 30 miles for mental health charities after his Uncle took his own life. Jordan was tragically killed by lightning just as Jordan Wylie was opening his pre-school in Djibouti and so Danielle’s connection with the country began. In 2022 she donated all the football shirts that had been left in her son’s honour to the small African community of As Eyla where a football match was held in her son’s memory. The tradition has continued and in 2024 Danielle visited the community herself and met co founder Amy and the journey of Gifting Goals began. Danielle has worked in schools teaching sport and volunteers in club minis football. She has seen the community impact of sport first hand both in her hometown of Blackpool with the annual #JB7 tournament in memory of her son and in As Eyla at what is now an annual football event.
Trustee Hari Fuller
Hari believes that early childhood is the most crucial stage in a child’s life, and this became a true passion when she started working with children and families in 2009 whilst studying to become a social worker. Over the past 16 years Hari has worked within the health, social care and education sectors, Hari has acquired extensive knowledge and experience with Children and young people with disabilities and complex needs. Hari lives an active lifestyle, is a nature lover and also a mother to three children, one of whom has a rare condition and as a result has required an intensive rehabilitation programme of therapies to support her body to move again. Navigating through this process has emphasised the importance of sport and movement in children and Hari has a huge desire to advocate for children who need additional support to ensure they thrive in life and have a voice. Hari enjoys sport and as a teenager competed as a national level athlete. She has always been a keen participant on sports teams and is now a member of a local fitness community so understands the importance of social connection and physical health and the impact this can have on people's lives. Providing the opportunity for children to achieve their goals in life is a huge ambition of Hari’s and she absolutely believes in the difference this can make.
Ambassador - Jordan Wylie MBE
Jordan was the original inspiration for Gifting Goals having spent four years raising money to build a pre school in Djibouti and taking chair of trustees Amy, there in 2022 and later supporting co-founding trustee Danielle with her legacy mission for her son with a visit in 2024. Jordan is an adventurer, author and philanthropist with an International media profile who has raised over £1 million for charitable causes. He is a strong advocate for sport and outdoor activity having played professional sport in his youth and gaining FA coaching qualifications. He knows the lasting impact sport can have both on and off the field. Jordan delivers talks to schools and is a regular guest speaker on topics related to learning beyond the classroom and living with ADHD, he annually undertakes extreme challenges for charities to spread the word of achieving anything you set your mind to. Gifting Goals is honoured to have Jordan as it’s Ambassador.