The power of communities

We operate from the bottom up: the strength of our work lies in working with and from within communities. This allows us to achieve lasting positive change for children. To achieve this lasting change, we involve all stakeholders who support children.

We do this with our theory of change, which forms the foundation of our three-pillar program.

Our three pillars

Veerkracht- Mentale gezondheid

A child who is resilient, valued, and grows up in a loving environment gets off to a good start. And that has a lifelong impact. We offer support to children who, due to poverty, loneliness, or problems at home, are unable to reach their full potential. For example, through workshops to boost self-confidence or by connecting them with a support person.

Schoolgang-veilige plek

Every child has the right to an education. This requires school supplies and a healthy meal. After all, you can't learn on an empty stomach without a pen and notebook. Moreover, school is a place where children feel safe, where they develop cognitively and socially and emotionally, where mental health is taken into account, and where they can continue to receive a good education for as long as possible.

Kinderen voor elkaar-Participatie

We believe it's perfectly natural to involve children in what we do. We give them a place to participate, contribute ideas, and work for other children. For us, participation also means children supporting each other and feeling connected. That's why our program focuses heavily on helping each other, for example, by organizing children's clubs and children's panels, but also through initiatives like the children's stamp campaign and the Children's Wallet.

Experience, knowledge and skills

Kinderpostzegels works to strengthen children's resilience in three regions. We've been collaborating with local partners for over 40 years and have a strong track record of experience, knowledge, and expertise.

We focus on impact in three carefully selected regions. This allows us to provide targeted support to children, giving them a good start to a hopeful future. This approach has a ripple effect: we influence the surrounding area and thus reach even more children.

Where do we make an impact?

Het Koninkrijk derNederlanden

In the Netherlands we work with various partners throughout the country, including:

  • Playing for Success
  • Youth Education Fund
  • Triple Threat
  • Mockingbird
  • Children's Rights Collective
  • Strengthening families together (Caribbean)

View an overview of our Dutch partners here

West-Afrika

In Senegal we work throughout the country with the following partners:

  • Enda Jeunesse Action (EJA)
  • Gaston Berger University (UGB)
  • DEMNGALAM in Ndioum,
  • Dr. Ibrahima Giroux - Professor of Psychology, researcher and lecturer at the UGB and specialist in mental health

In Burkina Faso we work in the center, south and west with the following partners

  • AJBF
  • ADEP
  • AZLY
  • ACPC
  • ATTOUS
  • supported by a local advisor

Zuid-Azië

In India, we work in the states of Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand with the following partners:

  • Bhoomika Vihar,
  • BJUP
  • Karrtabya, Patang
  • SGVV
  • YCDA

Our history

Kinderpostzegels (Children's Postal Stamps) was founded in 1924 to raise money for disadvantaged children. Since the 1970s, we've also been working internationally. We focus on impact and operate in three carefully selected regions. We're a small organization, and we believe this allows us to help more children get a good start and a hopeful future. By excelling in carefully selected areas, we create a ripple effect: we influence the local community and thus reach even more children.

We began our international programs primarily focused on street children. Since then, Kinderpostzegels has made a significant impact with:

  • the Child Labour Free Zones approach (Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal and India)
  • the approach to combating child marriage and female genital mutilation (Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal)
  • improving education and security (Ethiopia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, India, Guatemala, Nicaragua)
  • and caring for orphans within the community (India, Cambodia)

We incorporate this history into our current program with a happy head to school.

View our history in a nutshell here.