Entrants's Name: Patricia Parker

Country: United Kingdom

Field: Child Protection

Innovation - idea: Kids for Kids is virtually the only organisation helping villagers who are struggling to survive in remote villages. We are helping families survive through long term self sustainable projects such as the simple loan of goats and donkeys without which life is virtually impossible. Health care is a priority and our village midwives save the lives of many young mothers and babies.www.kidsforkids.org.uk

Innovation - why it is pioneering: Aid agencies in Darfur are concentrating on providing emergency aid only. Yet there are over 1 million more people struggling to survive out of sight in villages than there are in the camps in desperate need. We are the only organisation supporting simple long term projects which affect the help of children and provide a simple livelihood - often life saving.http://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/about_help_for_families.asp

Strategy - how it achieves impact: Our goat loan for example is run by the villagers - 6 goats are lent for 2 years and cannot be sold. During this time the milk is often the only source of vital vitamins, protein and minerals for the children. The kids belong to the family and can be sold for essentials - for example one mother bought antibiotics for her very sick 12 year old - then, at the end of the loan period 6 kids go to another family, and so on. To ensure the health of the animals a vital part of the project is to train a volunteer as a paravet. We then supply veterinary drugs to be sold on a revolving basis. The project is run by an Animal Loan Committee. The training of this group is the key to the success of the whole enterprise. http://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/about_goats.asp

Strategy - growth plans: We are currently helping over 100,000 villagers in 21 KIDS FOR KIDS villages and this year we are introducing our projects to 10 more in North Darfur. We are already committed to 20 further villages over the next three years and will help more given funding. We are the only organisation to make a long term commitment to the area. This has had such an impact that in January this year one leader told us that 30 families had returned to his community because they had heard KIDS FOR KIDS was there and they thought it would 'give the village a chance'.http://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/default.asp You can sponsor a whole village - the difference that will make is not only to that community, but enables them to reach out to their neighbours. One KIDS FOR KIDS midwife is now called on from villages over 60 miles away. But even one goat makes a difference when you have so little.

Impact to date: In January this year two village development committees asked us to teach them how we run our animals loan projects as they wanted to replicate it in their area. They said they knew we did not have the money for them yet but would try to start a project, lending just one goat at a time. The UNFAO is piloting this project with 60 families in one village with the intention of extending it in the future.

Future impact: The likelihood is that unless villages are strengthened they will not survive in the current situation in Darfur. Even if the conflict does not directly affect them, the impact has proved disastrous. Many animals have died or been looted. The price of a donkey has gone up 100%. No family can afford to replace lost animals. If and when the poor people in the camps can return they will have to ask help from communities that have survived. Without simple projects like ours there is little chance of a viable future. Emergency aid, whilst needed, is creating a dependency culture which is hugely damaging in the long term. Our projects are designed to help people run their own lives, providing for their own children and enabling them to create their own future.

Sustainability - resource base: Kids for Kids relies largely on volunteers. Most of our donations come from individuals who realise the importance of

self help. Because the projects are so practical and simple even the smallest child understands the impact. We visit schools, universities, churches, clubs, pop festivals and ask people to spread the word of how each of us can make a difference. We don't advertise, preferring to spend the maximum on the projects themselves. Word of mouth however is a powerful weapon and our Smallest Coffee Morning Ever - where you are invited to have three friends to coffee and together to provide just one goat ($30) - is a simple way to have fun, and change a life! We have also set up a Friends of Kids for Kids in the Stateshttp://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/pdfs/US_GiftList.pdfhttp://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/pdfs/US_Gift

Major challenge for the field: When peace is at last secured and people can go home there is a risk that the world with forget Darfur - but it is then that the real need with arise. And it is not easy to support communities living in remote villages. How can we encourage long term help for Darfur?contact@kidsforkids.org.uk

Contact Information:

Name: Mrs Patricia Parker - Chairman
Mailing address: patricia@kidsforkids.org.uk
Country: United Kingdom
Email: patricia@kidsforkids.org.uk
Tel: 07957206440
Fax: 01306887624
Website: www.kidsforkids.org.uk

Bio: http://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/about_founding.asphttp://www.kidsforkids.org.uk/about_founding.asp