Eating Stones Fund UK

General information

Eating Stones Fund UK - Supporting Grassroots Development in Kenyan Communities

The Eating Stones Fund is a UK registered charity established to relieve the suffering of some of the world's most vulnerable people, living in Kenya's slums.

About Eating Stones:

In 2006, Eating Stones Founder Chris Ferry, an International Development student, spent a year working in an HIV/AIDS clinic in an area of slum dwelling in Kawangware, Kenya. For some, the levels of poverty were so extreme that they had resorted to eating stones to stave off their hunger. As a result of this experience, he decided to establish an organisation which would provide direct and immediate help for these people. He called the organisation ‘Eating Stones’.

Health & Education - Nursing Scholarships

Eating Stones knows that the key to a healthy community is access to good healthcare. The financial implications of gaining an education in Kenya can leave this out of reach for many. Eating Stones, in partnership with Kenyan healthcare providers, have commenced a nursing scholarship programme aimed at those who otherwise would not be able to afford to train. Through this scholarship Eating Stones aims to empower young people, by giving them the skills needed to improve their communities along with a job for life.

Some of Our Work to Date:

Children's Home & Community Projects

In 2008 Eating Stones established a children’s home which, for nearly a decade has provided a safe and nurturing environment for the children, adolescents and adults of the Kawangware slum community. The children’s home provides for more than 50 orphaned children, many of whom have lost their parents due to disease, drugs or violence. At this site the Eating Stones team set up a medical centre, ran regular free medical camps and facilitated numerous community education and research projects. These included sexual health counselling and testing, access to clean water and income generating activities. Through education, training and guidance the staff at the home are now able to access support from numerous external sources. As of 2016 the project operates autonomously, offering a bright future for it’s children.

Educational Legacy:

Robert Henry Academy & Mistry Gardiner Library

Eating Stones, along with it's team of Kenyan and Tanzanian volunteers, was able to set up a primary school in Kawangware slums. The Robert Henry Academy provides an educational foundation for many of the orphanage residents, as well as being open to those in the local community who cannot afford to attend government schools. In addition to this the pupils have access to the Mistry Gardiner Library, a project commemorating the hard work and sacrifice of two of Eating Stones' supporters in the UK.