Working together to empower communities
Deki is an international development charity based in Bristol, founded in 2009 by Vashti Seth, who was inspired to change the life of just one girl, a Tibetan refugee named Deki Dolkha. The charity has now impacted the lives of over 200,000 people.
Operating in Togo, West Africa, alongside our sister organisation IADES, we create opportunities that address the needs of rural communities, tackling key causes of poverty.
Our programmes aim to reach those who need our services the most by improving livelihoods, building resilience to climate change, and empowering women to become leaders in their communities.
We provide access to essential services such as safe water, improved cookstoves, and healthcare training, ensuring long-lasting sustainable change.
Our close partnership and shared values with IADES-Togo are the beating heart behind the success of our projects.
Deki has been working closely with our sister organisation IADES, since 2016.
IADES, founded by Christian Kadangah, mirrors Deki's foundations in microfinance. Vashti and Christian are passionate about supporting people to work their own way out of poverty.
In 2019, they carried out needs assessments in the communities they work in, and it became clear that many communities had no access to safe water or basic healthcare.
Together Deki and IADES are dedicated to providing a holistic approach to community development that puts the community members at the heart of the change.
Our Projects Work Towards 13 SDGs
“I'm proud to support communities with the resources and knowledge they need to become resilient to poverty and the effects of climate change.
Working collaboratively with our partners and community members allows us to see the changes we want to achieve.
I believe that together, we can achieve great things.”
– Vashti Seth, Deki Founder
“For me it is clear, that for vulnerable communities to flourish, they need basic economic and social services such as access to healthcare, access to clean energy, clean water and education
We are pleased with the work being done with our sister partner Deki which brings well-being and smiles to the rural communities”
– Christian Kadangah, IADES Founder
Our Story
Deki was founded by Vashti Seth in 2009 after she met Deki Doklha, a Tibetan refugee who had been sent to India during the Chinese occupation of Tibet, Deki Dolkha was just 4 years old when her parents put her on a donkey-led caravan to cross the Himalayas in search of a better future.
Vashti’s father sponsored Deki Dolkha at an orphanage in Dharamshala, founded by the Dalai Lama, and sponsored her education, a commitment which Vashti maintained after her father passed away.
It was when visiting that Vashti realised that Deki Dolkha and many other women were caught in a cycle of poverty with little hope for the future. It became Vashti’s mission and life's work to empower women with the tools they need to work their own way out of poverty, initially through ethical microfinance and now through a range of community-led development projects.
“My wish has always been to lift women up, to give them a voice and to give them the confidence to become leaders and role models within their communities, inspiring the next generation of girls and women.” Vashti Seth, Deki Founder
