Securing a better future for children

Kindernothilfe, German for “Supporting children in need,” has grown dramatically since 1959. Beginning with just five child sponsorships in India, our work now reaches more than 2.1 million children and youth in 609 projects in 32 countries on four continents. Ninety percent of Kindernothilfe’s funds are provided by tens of thousands of donors. Many of them support us through child sponsorships. As an international Christian child rights organisation, we see our work as part of the global ecumenical development collaboration. Kindernothilfe, headquartered in Germany, cooperates with Kindernothilfe organisations in Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

The help we offer

Kindernothilfe believes that children have a right to food and medical care. They have a right to have their voices and concerns heard and they have a right to quality education. Our work is focused on delivering long-term results. Kindernothilfe seeks to improve living conditions in a sustainable manner. Our child sponsorships are an effective form of support that makes a difference by creating a lasting impact in children’s lives. Kindernothilfe supports children in a holistic way by addressing needs and challenges in their environment. This could be helping a village develop economically or an entire slum area to improve. Our approach - helping people help themselves - overcomes dependence and strengthens self-reliance.

Our partners

Kindernothilfe implements programmes by closely collaborating with local, mostly Christian organisations. Our 346 partners, responsible for the day-to-day management, submit annual financial and programmatic plans. Annual financial statements are audited externally. Kindernothilfe holds an on-going dialogue with local partners, which includes regular field visits. Finally, Kindernothilfe brings in its extensive international expertise, evaluates the work on the ground, and runs financial audits for all of its projects.

The goals we follow

We want to be a trusted partner to children and youth living in poverty. We are committed to working towards a future free of destitution, violence or abuse. Boys and girls need protection and support. Kindernothilfe's participatory approach gives children and youth a voice. Their ideas and input on how to overcome deprivation and poverty are crucially important to us. Empowering children to lead independent, self-fulfilled lives is what Kindernothilfe is about.

Our work is anchored in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Within this framework, we focus particularly on children at risk: street children, working children, child soldiers, Aids orphans, sexually abused and exploited children, and those who are marginalized because of disability. In Germany, we are actively involved in national and international advocacy and partner with other organizations to advance international child rights. We disseminate knowledge and teaching material to inform others about the situation of youth in developing countries and help people engage in an international debate on development policy.