MISSION
K.I.D.S. has a simple mission: to provide shelter, care, and education for street children in Vietnam. The foundation supports over 75 children between the ages of 4 and 18 from the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, offering them a dignified life, a happy childhood, and access to education. K.I.D.S. achieves this by operating three shelters and providing scholarships in Ho Chi Minh City.
Safety, health and education
In our shelters, the children are safe. They have a solid roof over their heads, healthy and sufficient food, and great care is taken with hygiene and health. The children attend school and also receive English and computer lessons.
To make the most of the long summer break of three months, a short holiday is organized each year – either at the beach or in the mountains.
Organisation
K.I.D.S. raises and manages funds and oversees the operation of the shelters. We work closely with the local charity organization WOCA (Women’s Charity Association Ho Chi Minh City). WOCA is responsible for the day-to-day management and the care of the children on site.
Each shelter is staffed by 2 to 3 caregivers, coordinated by WOCA.
There is close communication between K.I.D.S. and WOCA, with great care taken to respect and navigate cultural differences, lifestyles, and expectations.
Twice a year, a board member or representative from K.I.D.S. travels to Ho Chi Minh City to meet in person, monitor progress, and provide guidance where needed.
Background
Every day the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, flow full with thousands of children. Most of these children do not have a home and try to earn a living by selling postcards and cigarettes. Life on the streets is unsafe and often children are involved in criminal activities and prostitution. Julius Jaspers visited Ho Chi Minh City for the first time 18 years ago. As a new father himself, the fate of the street children was something that affected him deeply.
First safehouse
Julius came into contact with the local charity organisation WOCA. WOCA was looking for a financier for a ‘safehouse’, as the shelters for street children are called. Together with his family and Studio Bazar (the Julius’ family company) Julius decided to finance the building of a brand new safehouse and was guarantor for the exploitation costs for 10 years. In October 1998 the house was officially baptised ‘Sunflower House’. Julius’ initiative was followed up. After the ‘Sunflower House’ example more houses were set up, mostly by Julius’ friends and relations. K.I.D.S. was founded in order to organise the exploitation of these five safehouses and to acquire and manage the money in the best possible way.
The board of KIDS
Our Policy Reports
Our Financial Reports
- Staat van baten en lasten 2014, 2013, 2012 (PDF)
- Staat van baten en lasten 2015 (PDF)
- Staat van baten en lasten 2017
- Staat van baten en lasten 2018
- Staat van baten en lasten 2019
- Staat van baten en lasten 2020
- Staat van baten en lasten 2021
- Staat van baten en lasten 2022
- Staat van baten en lasten 2023
DONATE AND HELP K.I.D.S. HELP
Single donation
Do you wish to make a single financial donation? Have you e.g. organised a sponsor activity in aid of the Stichting K.I.D.S.? Or has your child collected money by doing odd jobs? All donations, small and large, are very welcome.
Adopt a bed
The Lemongrass House has 30 beds. For each bed the Stichting K.I.D.S. needs a sponsor. We prefer to talk about beds rather than about children. Children come and go, because we always try to let them stay with family. But the beds remain there and are slept in by the new residents. Generally the beds are adopted for a period of 5 years. The yearly amount is 600 Euros.
Sponsor
A sponsor is a person or company connected to one or more shelters for a longer period of time. A sponsor’s contribution can be financial, by means of gifts with which the exploitation of the shelter is covered wholly or partly. A company can also contribute by supplying products or services. In The Netherlands (e.g. for the purpose of a K.I.D.S. charity event) or in Vietnam itself. The sponsors will be mentioned on the sponsor page if they so wish.
