Seeing a need that could not be ignored
In 2010, Dr Charlotte Hawkins travelled to Zanzibar and was confronted by something she could not forget.
She met children living with disabilities that, in many parts of the world, could have been treated quickly and effectively. Many children born with club foot had never received medical intervention and were growing up unable to walk properly. Others were living with limb loss without access to prosthetics or mobility support.
She also saw the wider challenges families were facing. Children with disabilities were often excluded from education because schools lacked accessible facilities, safe learning environments and the resources needed to properly support them.
What stood out most was that much of this hardship was preventable. These children were not lacking potential. They were lacking access.
Turning compassion into action
After returning to the UK, Charlotte knew she could not simply move on from what she had seen.
She began raising awareness, building relationships and finding practical ways to help families across Zanzibar and Pemba access the care they needed. What started as a determination to help children born with club foot quickly grew into something far greater.
In 2011, the Infant Club Foot Appeal was officially founded with a simple but powerful goal: to create lasting change for children living with disabilities.
The charity began by helping fund treatment and medical support, but it soon became clear that solving one problem often revealed another. Helping a child walk was life changing, but if they still could not access education or mobility support, there was still more work to do.
Growing beyond one mission
As more families began receiving support, Charlotte quickly realised that treating club foot was only one part of a much bigger picture.
Children who had successfully received treatment were still facing other barriers. Some needed prosthetics or orthotic support to move independently. Others were physically able to attend school but were met with classrooms that were unsafe, inaccessible or simply unequipped to support children with disabilities.
The charity responded by evolving its work to meet those wider challenges.
Walk With Us was created to provide prosthetic and orthotic support for children and adults across Zanzibar and Pemba, helping people regain mobility and independence. The School Alliance Scheme followed after it became clear that education was another major barrier for many families.
Rather than focusing on a single issue, the charity grew into something much broader — an organisation committed to helping children not only walk, but truly thrive.
Building a future with greater opportunity
What started with one visit has grown into a long term commitment that continues to change lives every year.
Thousands of children have now accessed treatment, hundreds of prosthetics have been provided and schools have been transformed to create safer and more inclusive learning environments. Behind every number is a child with greater independence, a parent with renewed hope and a future that looks very different because support arrived at the right time.
While enormous progress has been made, there is still more to do.
Families continue to need access to treatment. Children still need mobility support. Schools still require investment.
The charity continues to grow because every child deserves the opportunity to move freely, learn confidently and build a future without unnecessary limitations.