What We Do

Helping Hands is a humanitarian group of dedicated volunteers, based in Wausau, Wisconsin, who share their time, talent, and treasure with communities in need, primarily focusing on the Central area of Kenya. Initiated in 1996 with a desire to share our gifts with those who are less fortunate, our organization provides a way for everyday people—retirees, teachers, students, physicians, construction workers, and farmers—to make a profound, lasting difference in the world.

Whether it is a short-term humanitarian trip or volunteering at home to pack supplies, Helping Hands ensures that anyone who cares can contribute meaningfully.

Our Programs and Activities

Our volunteers channel their energy into several key initiatives designed to restore health, promote education, and provide safety:

The House Building Project We partner with vulnerable families living in deteriorating mud structures to build durable, semi-permanent homes. Featuring sturdy timber frames, corrugated iron roofing, poured concrete floors, and private latrines, these homes eliminate severe health hazards like jiggers and provide a secure environment. True to our guiding principles, families work alongside our construction teams to build their own homes, ensuring a shared sense of accomplishment and pride.

Perfect Attendance for Girls To combat period poverty, our dedicated US-based volunteers meet weekly to sew high-quality, reusable flannel sanitary pads. We distribute these comprehensive hygiene kits directly to school-aged girls, ensuring that a natural menstrual cycle never stands in the way of a young woman’s education.

Educational Sponsorships Because education is the key to a better future, we facilitate direct financial sponsorships for students in Central Kenya. Our program connects donors with students to fund primary school, high school, and college or university educations.

Global Humanitarian Shipments Our impact extends beyond Kenya through large-scale logistical efforts. Volunteers frequently donate their time to collect, pack, label, and load massive 40-foot overseas containers with vital supplies. Through strategic partnerships with organizations like Orphan Grain Train, we also load semi-trucks with relief materials to assist with disaster recovery and humanitarian crises in places like Ukraine, Liberia, and right here in the USA.