Mama Kerry - Founder
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A Message from Mama Kerry...
Our Founder, Kerry Watson, who was herself adopted as a child, first visited Kenya as a working volunteer in 2007. Moved by her experience she returned in 2008 and spent 3 months living in the local community witnessing many vulnerable children in horrific situations, particularly in rural areas who had been orphaned, neglected or abandoned. Kerry was inspired by their resilience and will to survive yet realised the lack of resource the Kenyan government had to support these children and had a vision to help and provide opportunities that would make a positive difference in their uncertain lives. As an adopted child herself, Kerry empathised with the difficulties these children faced not knowing their biological roots and was humbled and overwhelmed by the community’s relentless, hardworking daily life without electricity and clean running water and their efforts to find food to feed their families.
Mama Kerry's Place
Early in 2008, Kerry purchased an acre of land in the rural village of Majimboni, at the foothills of Shimba Hills. Her vision and mission was to build a home that could cater for not only the most basic needs of food, clean water, clothing and education but also a home that could provide care, security, stability, happiness and, above all, a sense of belonging to family life; something which every child deserves.
Fundraising
Kerry came back to the UK and set up the UK Charity The Footprints Orphanage (now The Footprints Family) and took on the huge task of raising funds to make a difference out in Kenya. With the belief and support of friends, family, local businesses, schools and churches, enough money was raised to employ local Kenyan people to begin building the first structures of what was to become The Footprints Family home (now known as Mama Kerry's Place). On the 20th April 2010, Footprints opened and welcomed its first five children.
Sustainability
Since 2008 Kerry has been the figure head of the charity and The Footprints Family and has worked tirelessly to raise funds in the UK and coordinate operations in Kenya to keep her vision alive.