Blog

We are needed more than ever!

The news from Sudan has never been more worrying.   The hope for democracy has faded in the wake of the military coup last year, but people are resilient.   When I first went to Sudan what struck me was their humanity and their care for each other.   During that first visit my son Alastair and I made to Um Ga’al, the village that became the first Kids for Kids’ village, I asked if there would be jealousy if we supported the poorest families, providing them with five goats, a donkey, and other basic essentials –  things that people could only dream of in the extreme poverty in which they lived?   The village leaders said “if you support the poorest, you will help us too, by taking the burden of helping them off us – please do what you can”. And for twenty years, thanks to you, we have been doing just that. Doing all we can to help the poorest families – and therefore helping everyone living in all the villages we have adopted. Goat’s milk has been improving the health Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Ride London-Essex100 2022

Be a Cycling Hero! Cycle for Children and the Climate and secure one of our 10 places in Ride London – Essex 100!   On Sunday 29 May 2022 Ride London will be returning and Kids for Kids have secured 10 spots!  This year the event runs on an exciting new route – 100 miles on traffic-free roads through the heart of London and neighbouring Essex! Start your cycle on Victoria Embankment and cross the finishing line at the iconic Tower Bridge, with 65 miles through some of Essex’s most beautiful countryside and villages in between. This is the perfect opportunity to set a new fitness challenge for 2022, and get your friends involved too! The full route will be available from February 2022 on the RideLondon website. Previously we have had four cyclists take part in the RideLondon-Surrey 100 mile cycle, whilst raising valuable funds to help children in Darfur.  They helped us to make a lasting difference to children’s lives, whilst enjoying a challenging yet rewarding time cycling the gorgeous scenery in London and Surrey.  Julian Taylor, a Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

8 million children in Sudan in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in 2022

A recent report by the World Health Organisation warns that 8 million children in Sudan will need urgent help this year.   “Children are already hungry every day” says Patricia Parker OBE, Founder of Kids for Kids.   “Families need help, and fast.” World Food Programme (WFP) has announced it is targeting an estimated 900,000 beneficiaries (349,000 children) through integrated food and cash assistance across South Darfur, East Darfur and South Kordofan states. But these figures fall far short of those in need. There is no mention of remote communities, where Kids for Kids concentrates its help, where numbers are increasing every day. There is unfortunately a staggering shortfall in aid available. Once again, this is a stark reminder of just how much Kids for Kids is needed and just how much difference your help makes, not only now but also for future generations. Could you Donate to the Greatest Need and help us provide help that is so desperately needed please?   And please tell as many people as you can.   We cannot do this alone.   World Vision – Full article Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Challenge yourself for 2022!

With a New Year comes a new challenge! This New Year, why not take on a challenge and support Kids for Kids to make a real difference and change children’s lives? Taking part in a challenge event gives you a great opportunity to achieve your own personal goals, or explore a beautiful place and raise funds for families in one of the most disadvantaged parts of the world.   Keen Cyclist? We have 10 spaces up for Grabs in Ride London-Essex100 2022 Put your Lockdown cycling-skills to good use and join us on Sunday 29 May 2022 for Ride London which, this year, takes on an exciting new route – 100 miles on traffic-free roads through the heart of London and neighbouring Essex! Start your cycle on Victoria Embankment and cross the finishing line at the iconic Tower Bridge, with 65 miles through some of Essex’s most beautiful countryside and villages in between.  This is the perfect opportunity to set a new fitness challenge for 2022, and get your friends involved too! Find out how to secure one of these 10 spots Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Help Turn the Desert Green and Bring Life to Darfur

Climate change is top of the agenda world wide, but nowhere is it more harshly felt than in Darfur, where the Sahara is creeping south inexorably. Darfur is at the forefront of global warming with temperatures soaring to over 50 degrees in the summer months. All surface water evaporates by February each year, leaving the land parched and scorched. Land that was green with trees and water early last century is now a desert for most of the year.   How can families possibly survive? What can be done? Kids for Kids has been planting drought-resistant trees for vital shade for children and animals and community forests in villages since 2007 when we were the first organization to experiment with reintroducing the Baobab tree. One of the first we planted is now called the Love Tree of Darfur as people carve their initials and hearts into it. We renovated the tree nursery in El Fasher and planted a demonstration garden to educate the villagers on the benefits of trees. Our demonstration garden in El Fasher the regional capital is the only Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Dame Joanna Lumley – at last!

Huge congratulations to our wonderful Patron, Joanna Lumley OBE, who has been made a Dame in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.   “Joanna’s work with often little known charities is exceptional” says our Founder Patricia Parker OBE. “If anyone deserves to be honoured it is dear Joanna.   I hope she will not mind my saying that it is not just her name which she gives to Kids for Kids, but she is enormously generous to us too, and I know we are one of many charities she supports.   Joanna is loved across the country and rightly so.  This honour is long overdue and there could not be a more deserving, unassuming, lovely person to become a Dame.” Joanna Lumley has  been honoured for services “to drama, entertainment and charity” and we cannot thank her enough for everything she has done to support Kids for Kids over the years. During lockdown recently, Joanna led our ‘Draw a Goat for Darfur’ children’s competition with her beautiful ‘Dandy’ Goat to help us entertain children here, but it is her indefatigable support for children Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

The Gift of Water – 13 New Hand Pumps drilled

If this isn’t THE MOST FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS PRESENT we don’t know what is!   At last at last at last ….. we have been encouraging the Water & Sanitation Department to drill these handpumps for months and months. You cannot begin to imagine how amazing it feels to give the gift of Water to our villages in Darfur. Take a look at this wonderful video showing just when water was struck..! Can you help change lives forever and give children and their families access to clean, fresh water? Not only will there be life-giving water available for themselves and their animals but also, with a hand pump close by, children no longer need to spend days walking under the hot desert sun to reach water which is often miles away from their village. Instead they have time to attend our kindergartens, gain an education and can dream of a future out of poverty. Gift a hand pump today and you will change lives not only now but for generations to come. Donate to our water projects here and give the gift of life.

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Candlelit Christmas Concert Brings International Friends Together Again

Did you miss our Candlelit Christmas Concert this year? Here’s a little snippet and there’s a link to the whole magical experience further below..! Joanna Lumley OBE, Timothy West CBE, Lord Cope of Berkeley PC, Julian Lloyd Webber, Jiaxin Cheng and friends help spread Christmas cheer across the globe and raise vital funds for the forgotten children of Darfur. After the success of last year, Kids for Kids took the magic online once again to share a celebratory mulled wine and mince pie live on Zoom with international friends and enjoy the beautiful Candlelit Christmas concert, filmed earlier this month in St Peter’s Church, London. Patricia Parker OBE, Founder of Kids for Kids, was delighted to welcome supporters from all over the World including Malta, Norway, Albania, Australia, the USA and, of course, Sudan! “It was such a treat to welcome our supporters and wonderful Patrons – many of them friends for of our 20 years –  surrounded by flickering candles in their own homes, and to raise a glass with everyone across the globe” said Patricia. The live concert, Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Online Concert Brings International Friends Together Again

Did you miss our Candlelit Christmas Concert this year? Here’s a little snippet and there’s a link to the whole magical experience further below..! Joanna Lumley OBE, Timothy West CBE, Lord Cope of Berkeley PC, Julian Lloyd Webber, Jiaxin Cheng and friends help spread Christmas cheer across the globe and raise vital funds for the forgotten children of Darfur. After the success of last year, Kids for Kids took the magic online once again to share a celebratory mulled wine and mince pie live on Zoom with international friends and enjoy the beautiful Candlelit Christmas concert, filmed earlier this month in St Peter’s Church, London. Patricia Parker OBE, Founder of Kids for Kids, was delighted to welcome supporters from all over the World including Malta, Norway, Albania, Australia, the USA and, of course, Sudan! “It was such a treat to welcome our supporters and wonderful Patrons – many of them friends for of our 20 years –  surrounded by flickering candles in their own homes, and to raise a glass with everyone across the globe” said Patricia. The live concert, which Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago

Together at last – best Candlelit Christmas Concert ever?

After  so long apart, our Candlelit Christmas Concert this year was more moving than ever!  Tears and smiles mingled as celebrities and supporters alike celebrated 20 years of Kids for Kids and our 20th concert! If you missed it, here is a little snippet to whet your appetite and the link to the full concert is further below…! Joanna Lumley OBE, Timothy West CBE, the Lord Cope of Berkeley PC, Julian Lloyd Webber OBE and his amazingly talented Cellist wife Jiaxin Cheng all helped raise £2,723.35  on the night.   This is an important figure – if we can raise a further £9,777 BEFORE 11th DECEMBER two anonymous donors will DOUBLE IT.    Please help!   This would be an astonishing £25,000 in total – and would enable us to adopt an entire village, helping over 500 children to a better future long term.   Please please help.  Every pound will make a difference! “It was so special to be able to celebrate the start of the festive season together once again at the beautiful St Peter’s Church in London,” said Patricia Parker, Founder Read more

By Charlotte Allum, ago