Patricia Parker OBE has published a book detailing the 25-Year History of Kids for Kids’ work helping children in Darfur, Sudan. One Child’s Walk for Water shares the origins of the charity and how it developed its sustainable projects over 25 years that today have helped more than 600,000 people across 110 villages.
One Child’s Walk for Water is a moving story taking readers back to 2001, when Patricia travelled to Sudan to visit her son, who was working as a diplomat in Khartoum. Curious to see how children lived outside the capital, she visited Darfur, where she was struck by the level of poverty and decided to do what she could to help. Patricia founded Kids for Kids with the aim of providing families with the tools and resources they need to lift themselves out of poverty in the long term.
“I always say, do not start a charity. If you do, do not do it in Africa. If in Africa, do not choose Sudan. And if in Sudan, never in Darfur. It must be one of the hardest regions in the world to work in,” says Patricia. The book shares personal stories from families in Darfur and describes the programmes established over the past 25 years, illustrated with photographs from the villages where the charity works, many taken by Patricia herself.
“I never intended to start a charity,” said Kids for Kids founder Patricia Parker OBE. “But meeting one child in Darfur changed everything. He was walking for seven hours to collect water for his family and could not go to school. I knew I could do something to help. This book tells the story of the many people who have shaped 25 years of work supporting children in one of the most deprived regions of the world.” What Patricia could not have predicted was the dangers to herself and her son during their many visits to Darfur. Captured by rebels, nearly dying from ‘food poisoning’, blacklisted by the President – this is not just a book about a charity, it is about the personal dedication and, as Patricia would say, adventures that have befallen them.
One Child’s Walk for Water is released at a time when Sudan has been declared as suffering the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Approximately 25 million people are experiencing severe food insecurity, and more than 12 million people have been displaced since 2023. Through its network of local volunteers, Kids for Kids is unique in being able to continue deliver aid to communities in North Darfur. Current support includes emergency food, seeds for planting, medicine, soap, blankets and mosquito nets, all of which can be donated here.
One Child’s Walk for Water is available for purchase here for a minimum donation of £15, with 100% of the funds helping children in Darfur. For a larger donation of £50, the cost of a Goat, you will receive a personalised Certificate with your copy of the book.
