Estelle Goodwin, who founded the Wilmslow based charity KIN (Kibera in Need), which supports projects in the vast Kibera slum in Kenya, has been awarded the University of Manchester Social Responsibility and Volunteer of the Year Award for 2012, in the alumni category.
Estelle studied for her MA in Ancient World Studies at the University of Manchester and in 2007 set up the Wilmslow based charity KIN to support communities in Kibera.
Estelle said "I am very pleased but also a little shocked to have received the award. Kibera is a desperate place and it's excellent to receive recognition for KIN's work there.
"A big thank you to the KIN Trustees, Committee and our partners in Nairobi for all their hard work and encouragement. Together we are working to improve lives and we are always delighted to welcome more people to the KIN team!"
Kibera, in Nairobi, is home to up to one million people who live in desperate conditions of poor housing and sanitation, high unemployment, HIV/Aids and low school attendance. KIN started out helping the Kenyan NGO Riziki fund its small feeding programme, in which 50 Kibera residents got their main weekend meal every Saturday. It has now developed an Education Support Scheme, a Child Guardianship Scheme, Microfinance and a series of seminars giving guidance on parenting, reproductive health and career choice.
KIN also funds education and vocational training for around 220 children and young people, helps 800 plus small business clients, is about to start a solar lighting project and the feeding programme has grown to 200 children and caregivers every week.
President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, presented the awards. She told the award winners: "You give up the most valuable thing to all of us and that is time."
KIN's main fundraiser for 2012 is Wal-KIN –g the Bay across Morecombe Bay on Saturday 8th September. The walk will be led by the Queen's Guide to the Sands and coach transport from Wilmslow is available. For further information visit www.kiberainneed.org.
Photo: (l-r) Estelle Goodwin and Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell.
