Cecily's Fund's aims and strategy are narrow and low-tech. It works in only two places in Zambia, in the towns of Kitwe and Lusaka. Last year, it helped 7,228 children to stay in education, as well as supporting a smaller number through teacher-training college and funding a primary school.

In the past decade it has helped more than 10,000 children to finish school, most of whom would otherwise be in a desperate situation.

It uses well-established local organisations to carry out its projects, and builds on structures that are already in place. It prides itself on accountability: its representatives visit Zambia several times a year to go through the books of its partner organisations and get feedback from the children it helps.

As well as changing orphans' lives, this could have broader effects. Mr Eastwood argues that "good governance in a country must come from the bottom up, rather than being imposed from the top down".

Organisations with high standards of accountability can change business practices from the grass-roots, setting a standard of transparency, rather than waiting for government to do it.

Cecily's Fund is committed to supporting all its children until they finish school. This means it has obligations stretching ten years into the future. Mr Eastwood says that Cecily's Fund will keep doing what it's doing as long as there are children who need it. He, however, has decided to step down as chairman this year.

Until 2003, the charity consisted only of himself, his wife and its trustees, but now there are three full-time and three part-time members of staff. He is leaving to let it develop further, from a small, family-run charity, to something that will last and grow.