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► Eating Stones Fund

What?

Eating Stones Fund was founded in Newcastle in April 2007 by student, Chris Ferry, after working in the slums outside Nairobi during a gap year. On his return to the UK, Chris established a small charitable fund to help two existing community groups, providing support to slum dwellers who were affected by AIDs/HIV.

During his summer vacation in 2008, Chris returned to Kenya and found the small community struggling to care for 37 orphaned/abandoned children. Many of their parents had died during the post-election violence, or as a result of AIDs/HIV. 30 of the children were sleeping in one small tin shack, on 3 urine-soaked mattresses. Using funds raised in the UK, Chris was able to secure 10 clean rooms on an enclosed site, for use as classrooms and living quarters. He worked with local volunteers to establish the Robert Henry Orphanage, School and Clinic.

The situation in the slums has deteriorated considerably over the past 2 years and the residents face daunting challenges. It has been widely reported that drought has led to food and water being in short supply. The orphanage is now home to 48 residents and we struggle to provide sufficient funds to maintain the minimum standards of care for the children. The children urgently need our help.

The aims of ESF:

• Plan, develop and implement fundraising campaigns
• Raise awareness, in schools and local communities, about the issues facing charities and their beneficiaries in developing countries
• Develop direct links between local communities in the UK and in developing countries
• Develop partnerships with other organisations working in the field

Volunteer Roles:

1. Proposal development officer.
Duties: Investigating opportunities for funding. Developing funding proposals. Communicating with prospective donor organisations. Working from home. Hours flexible, but regular commitment required.

2. Research Officer.
Duties: Identifying potential partner organisations. Researching areas of operation and approach. Writing options papers. Working from home. Hours flexible, but regular commitment required.

3. Business Development Officer.
Duties: Identifying potential business projects and developing some existing proposals. Developing project briefs and plans. Market research and project implementation. Largely a desk based role. Hours flexible, but regular commitment required.

4. Student Development Officer.
Duties: Identifying opportunities for links with existing student groups. Developing project briefs and plans. Market research and project implementation. Largely a desk based role. Hours flexible, but regular commitment required.

5. Project Assistant.
Duties: Supporting our Schools Development Officer and/or Business Development Officer in developing project briefs/plans, market research and project implementation. Largely a desk based role. Hours flexible, but regular commitment required.

6. Events Officer.

Skills/benefits/experiences:

Regular volunteers will gain:
• an understanding of issues associated with running small UK charities
• an understanding of the challenges faced in overcoming poverty and sickness in developing countries
• the opportunity to get involved with a small charity, where we are not weighed down by multiple layers of bureaucracy
• the opportunity to have an immediate, sizable and direct impact on individual children and their future prospects
• experience of proposal writing, options analysis, planning, communication (and team working for some)
• training in project management

Events officers will gain:

• the opportunity to have an immediate and direct impact on individual children and their future prospects
• work experience and experience of team working
an opportunity to mix with a variety of people at ‘fun’ events