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Focus on grass roots support

We support locally run,

community-based work

 

Learn about HUGS

Help Us Give Smiles works in conjunction with local community-based organisations that counter the plight of orphans and other less fortunate children.

Volunteer

H.U.G.S. is a self-activated charity programme that gives individuals from all walks of life the opportunity to take part in overseas charity projects in Kenya for a period of two weeks. 

Fundraise or Donate

We rely on the support of individual and company donors, as well as our annual volunteers for the fundraising efforts. Our promise is 100% of your donation will go directly to the children.

HUGS in action

What do we support?

Contact us to volunteer

 

Volunteer 2026/2027
group hugs

How it started

After leaving college in 2003 our chairperson and co-founder Sarah McDevitt decided to try and gain work experience while also engaging in her passion for charity work. As a first step, she volunteered with an Irish NGO in Dublin and organised charity concerts all over Ireland. During that time Sarah was given the opportunity to travel twice with that NGO on shorter trips to Kenya and Tanzania to work with children. On those trips, she met a lady called Leah Ambwaya, the Director of Terry's Youth and Resource Center in Machakos Kenya and a beautiful and powerful relationship began. 
 
Sarah decided to return directly to work with Leah in Machakos. She was keen to understand the everyday lives of these children and how she could directly impact their lives across education and future opportunity.  Before leaving two of her former fellow volunteers reached out, Esther Walsh and Gerardine O Driscoll, they were keen to join the trip. Esther's daughter Claire Walsh decided to join along with her friends Valerie Joy and Aine O'Donovan. Finally, two of Sarah's work colleague's Anna Brannelly and Karen Dessain-Gelinet completed the team.  
 
The group travelled to Kenya that year, becoming life long friends and they came together to found Help Us Give Smiles.  
 
 
Charity Number: CHY19376

Who can volunteer?

At Help Us Give Smiles that's exactly what we want from our volunteers, the ability to raise a smile in a child that needs to laugh and help them play more than anything else. Specialist volunteers are very important around the global but the skill of making a child laugh and enjoy being a child is just as important.

Our volunteers travel to Kenya for one to two weeks. During that time they get to experience an average day for these children. From school to education, they learn what real life is like and they see where the money they raise is being spent on the ground in Kenya. Of course there is a good deal of laughter, nail painting and coloring along the way. 
 
Volunteers must pay for their own flights, a donation towards accommodation, food and transport. They must also raise a min of 700 Euro to put towards projects on the ground, including food purchase for the center, soap, sheets, tooth brushes, shoes, school bags, medicines etc.  
 
leah and emma
Volunteers

When can I travel?

We try to organise key trips every year with others who would like to travel, so that you have company on your trip. But in theory, you can travel at any time during the year, provided you are happy to follow our guidelines and respect our host.

We have worked with the HUGS team for the last 15 years on an number of education and sustainable farming projects here in Kenya. They have provided the rain on earth, they have provided joy and 90% of my worries are gone. Thank you HUGS
jamie profile
Leah Ambwaya
Director of Terry's Youth and Resource Center Kenya