Blog

Kids for Kids Founder Honoured at the Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards 2026

Patricia Parker OBE, founder of Kids for Kids, has been named one of just five winners of the Daily Mail Inspirational Women Awards 2026, in association with Marks & Spencer, in recognition of her extraordinary dedication to children and families living in the heart of Darfur, Sudan, one of the world’s most remote, neglected and dangerous regions in the world. At a special Reception hosted by HRH The Princess Royal at St James’s Palace on Wednesday 3 June, Patricia received a crystal trophy and a £500 M&S gift voucher to honour the life-changing work she has led for almost 25 years. Patricia, who works from her home in Dorking Surrey, founded Kids for Kids in 2001 after travelling to Darfur and meeting a nine-year-old boy. Every day, Ibrahim walked seven hours to collect water for his family, carrying a heavy jerrycan home across the desert.  Then he had the journey back. “Ibrahim changed my life,” says Patricia. “When I saw what children in Darfur were enduring just to survive, I knew I could not walk away.  There is water underground Read more

By Davina Patel, ago

25th Annual Magical Candlelit Christmas Concert

Kick of the Christmas Festivities with Dame Joanna Lumley DBE FRGS on Thursday 3rd December 2026 Tickets on sale now to enjoy Carols by Candlelight at the Kids for Kids Candlelit Christmas Concert, marking 25 Years of helping Children in Darfur, Sudan. 7pm, St Peter’s Church in Eaton Square, Belgravia, London. Dame Joanna Lumley DBE FRGS invites you to join Kids for Kids at this year’s Magical Candlelit Christmas Concert in Belgravia, London!  This event is the perfect start to the Christmas Season, and this year is extra festive as we will mark 25 Years of helping children in Darfur, Sudan. Every penny raised in profit from the evening will provide emergency food and aid to children who are waking up hungry every day due to the appalling violence that has been raging for over three years. Your presence at our concert will truly save lives! The evening will feature the beautiful voices of the Junior and Senior Choirs of Queen’s Gate School singing your favourite Christmas Carols to get you in the holiday spirit!  We are delighted to welcome Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago

Executive Fly Fishing Day in Surrey

The Kids for Kids’ Executive Fly Fishing Day 2026 will take place at Park Lake, Albury on Saturday 10th October. Tickets are now on sale! The Duke of Northumberland’s private lake will be stocked with trout and if you have never tasted trout straight from the water to your plate then you have no idea how delicious it is.  Of course, you will have to catch it first – but we will provide people to help you! This very special, secluded lake is solely for our use and provides the perfect autumn day out for friends, family or a memorable way to entertain your out of town clients. Delicious refreshments will be provided throughout the day from homemade cakes to lunch with wine and beer. We look forward to welcoming you all – beginners and experienced fisherman alike! This Fly Fishing Day is a very special Fishing opportunity because every penny raised in profit will provide essential food packs for children in Darfur who are in desperate need. Darfur continues to face bitter conflict and the indirect effects of disease Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago

A Child’s Idea That Changed Lives

Cassidy was angry! Aged 7 she had heard how children were living in Africa and wanted to help. She had read about Kids for Kids and what they were doing to transform children’s lives in Darfur and, with the help of her mother, Kathy, she emailed Patricia from her home in Oregon, USA, to ask if she could help. What Cassidy then did changed many lives. Instead of feeling helpless, Cassidy decided she wanted to raise money for goats. She knew that goat’s milk would be good for children with little to eat. The Birth of the “Playful Pancake” Cassidy came up with a wonderfully creative idea. She would make cat toys. The handmade shoe company Softstar Shoes generously gave Cassidy leather and sheepskin scraps left over from making their shoes. Instead of letting these beautiful materials go to waste, Cassidy and her little friends turned them into small catnip-filled toys they called “Playful Pancakes.” They sold the toys at local events and on the internet – which was in its early days! – and quickly discovered that people loved Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago

Sudan: Three Years On: A Generation at Risk, A Community Responding

April 2026 marks three years since conflict erupted in Sudan, triggering what is now widely recognised as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. What began as a power struggle in April 2023 has spiralled into a nationwide catastrophe, devastating communities, collapsing essential services, and leaving millions of children fighting simply to survive.   Aid agencies have been unable to access the thousands of people in desperate need of their help.   Health care has collapsed and diseases are spreading. Today, the scale of need is staggering. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 34 million people – nearly three quarters of the population – need urgent help.  Over 21 million face acute food insecurity – and Darfur is hardest hit of all.   Children face starvation. More than 13 million people have been forced from their homes, losing everything, creating the largest displacement crisis in the world. A Childhood Lost to Conflict Children are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Over 17 million children are in need today of humanitarian support (Save the Children). Education has all but Read more

By Davina Patel, ago

A Message from His Majesty The King Marks 25 Years

His Majesty King Charles III recognised the extraordinary impact of Kids for Kids’ work in Sudan with a message of support to mark the charity’s 25th anniversary, which took place on 8th March 2026. In his message, His Majesty expressed his appreciation for the dedication and compassion of the charity’s supporters and reflected on the transformative difference their contributions have made to communities in rural Sudan. The King wrote: “Please convey my warmest thanks to the supporters of Kids for Kids for their kind message, sent on the occasion of their twenty-fifth Anniversary. I much appreciate your thoughtful words, and was most heartened to be reminded of your truly remarkable efforts to help transform the lives of over 590,000 people in Sudan through sustainable projects providing lasting support to rural communities in Darfur. In return, I send my warmest good wishes to all those who are present for a memorable event and to the people of Sudan.” The recognition from His Majesty highlights the importance of the charity’s long-term commitment to transforming the lives of children and empowering communities to Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago

Welcome to our Newest Patron Lyse Doucet CM OBE

Kids for Kids is delighted to announce that Lyse Doucet CM OBE, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, has become the charity’s newest Patron. Lyse is one of the world’s most respected journalists, with a distinguished career spanning more than four decades. As Chief International Correspondent for the BBC, she has reported from some of the most challenging regions in the world bringing global attention to the realities faced by communities affected by conflict, poverty and crisis. Born in Canada, Lyse joined the BBC after early reporting in West Africa and went on to serve as a foreign correspondent across the Middle East and Asia, with postings in Islamabad, Tehran, Kabul, Amman and Jerusalem. Her thoughtful and courageous journalism has helped audiences understand complex global issues and the human stories behind them. In recognition of her contribution to journalism, Lyse was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2014 and became a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in 2018. She has also received numerous international awards for her reporting and commitment to telling the stories Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago

Give Chickens instead of Eggs this Easter!

Give real Chickens instead of Chocolate Eggs this Easter for the elderly in Darfur, Sudan This Easter you can help an elderly person living in a remote village of Darfur by donating chickens for fresh eggs. Eggs provide vital nutrition and a small, sustainable source of food to those who have no other options. Donate Three Chickens and a Cockerel for £15 on behalf of a loved one and we will create a beautiful Personalised Gift Certificate for them. As the conflict continues in Sudan, the elderly are among the most forgotten. Too weak to travel long distances for water or aid and with often no reliable access to food or support, they face each day simply trying to survive. The perfect gift this Easter is a gift that restores strength, dignity and hope, showing families in Darfur they are not forgotten. How to Order: On our website choose the gift you would like to give – Chickens to give protein-rich eggs, a Kids Kitchen Kit or donate to The Greatest Need.  Of course, if you would prefer to donate something else, we Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Kids for Kids’ Founder Publishes a 25-Year History of the Charity

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 Read more

By Sage Lancaster, ago