what we do

Footsteps is a UK based charity which strives to provide children in Kenya with the opportunity to reach their potential as individuals and to become healthy, educated, self-sustaining and contributing members of their communities. We always work with volunteers from the local community and we expect the community to contribute in some way to the programme – in this way we secure their support and buy-in to its long term success. Where we source and supply water access the community must raise money to purchase a tank. Where we build schools the community must contribute to the cost of teachers.

Where we work
The Katito Community is found within the Nyanza Province of Kenya, about a 40 minute drive from Kisumu, a thriving town on the edge of Lake Victoria. The population is approximately 30,000 people scattered around one market centre. The climate is harsh, communication is poor, health services are basic and most people live below the poverty line.
This part of Kenya has been hit hard by HIV/AIDS and many families are run by children, are headed by a sickly parent or rely heavily on aged grandparents. We work with schools that serve the population in the area; each educates about 500 pupils out of which more than 200 are usually orphans.  There are also many other children in the area that cannot manage to get to school at all because they cannot afford a school uniform, are too weak or sick, or have no family to encourage them.

 

Building Schools
The first community to receive support from Footsteps was the village of Magunga, which is very badly affected by AIDS. Magunga‘s nearest water access was 5km away, so our priority was to construct a water pipeline to the village. As with all the charity’s undertakings, there was an insistence on the community’s involvement in order to ensure local commitment and the project’s ongoing success. Local people organised a fundraising event to pay for a water tank, and also provided the labour to dig the trenches needed. In September 2006, five new classrooms were opened and more recently we added a much needed nursery classroom to the school. In 2008 a second school in the nearby community of Rae, was completely rebuilt and vitally needed water access was provided.  Footsteps is now well on the way to completing the building of a third school in the village of Wenwa and we are about to begin work on our fourth school in Kanyalwal at the beginning of 2010.

Building a Medical Centre
We have built a new Comprehensive Care Centre for HIV/AIDS in Katito, just a few kilometres from Magunga. The Care Centre is now complete and is treating more than 600 patients every week. The clinic undertakes free AID’s tests and distributes ARVs to patients who are found to be HIV positive. The medical centre staff also delivered 43 babies in the few few months after opening in April. This is especially significant as the local people often mis-trust any formal midwifery.
Providing Water
Clean water saves lives and is a considerable step towards self reliance.  Our aim is to help schools and medical centres have access to clean running water. We ask the local people to contribute in some small way and we provide the bulk of the funding to bring water to the community and the school.
Rafiki Programme
The Rafiki programme takes UK based volunteers to Kenya to work in the school during the summer holidays. No experience of teaching is necessary, just bags of enthusiasm and a willingness to get stuck in.
Sponsor a Child
The child sponsorship programme enables UK based families to take an active role in the future success of a Kenyan child. This support greatly improves the chances for the child to become a successful, active and contributing member of the community. A child that finishes their primary education has a future and need not face a lifetime of scavenging on the streets. He or she is also less than half as likely to contract HIV. Education is one of the best weapons in the fight against AIDS.