MISSION
K.I.D.S. has a simple mission: the accommodation, care and schooling of street children in Vietnam. K.I.D.S. ensures that over 115 children between the ages of 4 -18 years from the slums of Ho Chi Minh City have a dignified existence, a happy childhood and receive an education. K.I.D.S. does this by setting up and exploiting shelters in Ho Chi Minh City.
Safety, health and education
In the shelters the children are safe. They have a good roof over their heads, sufficient and healthy food and close attention is paid to hygiene and health. The children go to school and also have lessons in English and computer science. To bridge the gap during the long 3 months summer holiday, a short stay is organised at the beach or in the mountains.
Organisation
K.I.D.S. recruits and manages the exploitation of the shelters. K.I.D.S. works closely together with the local charity organisation WOCA (Womens Charity Association Ho Chi Minh City). Locally the WOCA supervises the business and the care for the children. 2 to 3 supervisors who are controlled by the WOCA work in each shelter. There is intensive contact between K.I.D.S. and the WOCA, whereby the difference between lifestyles culture and expectations are dealt with with a great deal of care. Every six months a member of the board or representative visits Ho Chi Minh City to check the localities and to make adjustments where necessary.
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.
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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.
