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Children on the Edge and 'the mosquito effect' ? how agile family philanthropy can begin to navigate the international aid crisis
The International Family Offices Journal
Vol. 10 - Iss. 2 pp. 50–54
Dec 2025
In 1990, Rachel Bentley and Dame Anita Roddick traveled to Romania to help abandoned children in orphanages, sparking a five-year mission to close dire institutions and create pathways to independence. From this effort, UK charity Children on the Edge was born, dedicated to supporting children on society?s margins. Over 35 years later, led by Bentley OBE, it operates in over 20 countries, providing education and protection to 15,500 marginalized children in Africa and Asia. Amid global funding cuts and rising pressure on private philanthropy, this article asks: could investing in grassroots organizations like Children on the Edge be the answer?