It’s heartbreaking ... 12 million children in Africa have lost one or both of their parents due to AIDS, violence, or other diseases that have turned their world upside down. No parents. No electronics or personal stuff. Sometimes little food, or chance to go to school, or place to call home.

KC4K is all about mobilizing kids in North America to have a global vision and extend care and hope to these vulnerable kids who aren’t all that different from us. They were just born somewhere else.

Kids Caring 4 Kids Visits Africa! - June, 2010

In this 4 min. video, follow Kendall Ciesemier (founder) as she visits a few of the projects Kids Caring 4 Kids supports in Zambia.

Here’s a snapshot of projects Kids Caring 4 Kids is funding—made possible by the contributions of kids and adults—to bring smiles and life change to kids across Africa.

Improving a School for Orphans in Zambia

In Zambia, we are partnering with Lifesong for Orphans where they run a school for more than 200 orphans and vulnerable children up through Grade 4.  Already KC4K has provided showers, a nurse' office stocked with medicines, and a sick bay to care for sick kids and to test them for diseases . When Kendall visited Lifesong School this past summer, she knew KC4K had to do so much more!

Our goal this year is to raise $150,000 to help this under-resourced school build and equip three more classrooms build a computer lab (the first in their community), feed the students 2 meals every school,  and supply and staff the nurse's office (The only place for them to go when they are sick. Last year they prevented around 180 cases of malaria from becoming fatal).

We’ve set up a whole website to mobilize high school students to have dance marathons to raise money for this key project of KC4K this year. Check it out at www.Dance4Lifesong.org and be sure to watch the "Can You Dance" video.

Empowering Kids in Zambia - with Bikes!

If kids can’t get to school, they can’t get an education and get ahead in life. So in Zambia, KC4K is working with World Bicycle Relief to provide specially built bikes to African students who live far from school. This money provided scores of bikes for students and trains bike mechanics. Many of these bikes go to girls. That’s because they’re the ones who usually carry water and do chores, so they often don’t have time to walk miles to school.

Feeding Hungry Kids in Zambia

In Zambia, over 600 orphans, widows, and AIDS patients have enjoyed a weekly meal and food supplements thanks to the support of KC4K. This feeding program, run by Bright Hope International, is especially important because Zambia has the highest proportion of AIDS orphans in the world. One-fifth of all children in Zambia are orphans.

Caring for Orphans in South Africa

It’s hard to image, but there are over 2 million orphans in the country of South Africa. That’s equivalent to 30,000 school busses filled with kids! That’s why we’re so excited about the Kerus Orphan Care Center we’ve help build, where initially 50 and then up to 100 orphans will come every day for a good meal, homework help, health care and more. Plus they’ll learn skills like gardening, computers and crafts. Our partner is Kerus Global Education.

Providing Clean Water in Zambia

None of us can imagine drinking dirty water, but that’s commonplace in many parts of Africa. So we’re working with World Vision to drill boreholes and teach hygiene in communities where they desperately need clean water. Right now, kids and adults living there walk miles to find water. When they do find water, it’s often contaminated and makes them sick.

Building a Dorm in Ngulini

Nearly 30 orphan girls (ages 3-17) in this Kenyan community were sleeping in a crowded classroom because they had no home! So, in partnership with Bright Hope International, we built a dorm so these girls and others like them can live with caring adults, eat good meals, and experience “family.” Our gift not only built a dorm, it also purchased 10 acres of land so they can grow their own food.

Giving Hope in Kenya

The Hope for Life Center was the dream of Josephine, a former Kenyan government official who had a passion to care for the overwhelming number of orphans in Nakuru. So far, KC4K has given over $60,000 to support this project, which is helping to transform a community. Our gift helped build the Hope for Life Center where over 120 orphans receive meals, homework help, and hope every day. We’ve also provided school uniforms, shoes, meals, and textbooks for these children.

Rescuing Kids in Ghana

One of the heartbreaking effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic is the use of children as laborers. Touch A Life Foundation rescues children from this plight. KC4K is partnering with Touch A Life to care for rescued children in Ghana—providing them with daily needs of food, shelter, education, and health care.

New projects are being added regularly. Check back often to see what we're doing together to bring joy and hope to kids and communities impacted by AIDS.