Kickstart Kids International

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Kickstart Kids International is an Australian-based charitable organisation run by young people to support disadvantaged children in Africa. Kickstart Kids International's mission is to provide this support in financially and environmentally sustainable ways.

History

Kickstart Kids International was established in 2007 by James Woodward when he travelled with a friend to Kenya to volunteer at St. Otiep's orphanage in Nairoi, Kenya. Upon return to Australia, James stayed in contact with a local Kenyan friend who informed him that St. Otiep's has been closed down and the children left on the street. From Australia, James arranged for the children to be transported out of the town to a village called Mang'u which became the Familia Moja Children’s Centre. Kickstart Kids International was then established to raise funds to support these children . This story is recounted by Stephen Green in his book Good Value: Reflections on money, morality and an uncertain world (2009).

Kickstart Kids International has recently joined BY 2015 an Australian coalition on charitable organisations that have pledged to 'double the reach and effectiveness of (their) contribution to ending extreme poverty BY 20125'. Kickstart's pledge is to provide a home for 100 orphans in Kenya.

PROJECTS

Nanga Children's Village

Nanga Children's Village is Kickstart Kids International's current project. The children’s village is being constructed in Ulturoto, south of Nairobi on a 10 acre plot of land. This property will function as an orphanage and will consist of a number of individual children's homes, a library, an administration building, and a seven acre farm. The library will be used by the children and the community.

The goal for the Nanga Children's village is that it will be environmentally sustainable with net zero carbon emissions, waste treated on site, water collected on site, net positive food production, local sourcing of materials for construction.

Nanga Children's village will have income generating projects such as farming which should allow it to become financially sustainable within a few years. Kickstart Kids International is funding the construction and the set up of this project but the goal is that Nanga Children's village won’t rely on donations from Australia, and elsewhere, once these initiatives provide enough income to support the running costs.

Familia Moja Children’s Centre

Kickstart Kids International's first project was the Familia Moja Children’s Centre. As of 2011, Familia Moja Children's Centre is financially sustainable meaning that Kickstart Kids International no longer provides the fundraising support as it did before and that a local board of directors manages the home and local fundraising. The Familia Moja Children's Centre was established in 2007 and has housed thirty one orphans. Kickstart Kids International's involvement with the Familia Moja Children's Centre included the provision of fit-out of the home and the running costs of the centre three years. The running costs included the children’s food, medical care, clothing and education costs.

Mang’u Primary School

Mang'u Primary School is the local primary school near the Familia Moja Children's Centre. In order for the primary school to take in the Familia Moja Children’s Centre, Kickstart Kids International provided extra support and resources to Mang'u Primary School including three teachers, textbooks and sporting equipment. In 2010 Kickstart Kids International enabled their corporate partner, KPMG, to fund the construction of a new toilet block after the existing one collapsed.