Children are the Future 20th anniversary

29 November, 2000

Launched in response to a severe cyclone that hit the coast of Tamil Nadu.

The cyclone took the lives of 11 people including a child, uprooted thousands and thousands of trees, destroyed people’s huts, killed cattle and carried away vessels, leaving practically nothing in its wake. In reaction to this disastrous event, CAF initiated an emergency collection to distribute blankets to poor children affected by the storm in need to have something to keep them warm. The total amount of 15,000 Belgian francs was collected within a few days and immediately transferred to India.

Registered in 2001 under Belgian law.

Pia Lovengreen, founder and first president registered “Association Sans But Lucratif” (ASBL), a not-for-profit organisation, with the mission to support projects promoting the rights of the child.

2001
2002

First projects in India.

CAF continued to collect money to support projects that promote two specific areas of the rights of the child, namely the education and health of children. CAF sourced funds to purchased a school bus for the Budaloor Block and established an IT school in Thanjavur, both in Tamil Nadu, India.

“One Family, One Charity” programme

Support for impoverished families to start up a micro-business so as to be able to provide their children with education and health care.

2002

First field trip to India

Visited Tamil Nadu, met different potential partners and stakeholders to discuss the future CAF program implementation.

Medical Center, Kinshasa.

CAF started to work toward the establishment of Centre Communautaire Locale de Nutrition in Kinshasa. This medical centre treats children suffering from malnutrition and was financially supported by a pig farm.

2005

Tsunami relief programme

A three-step Tsunami relief programme in the villages of Karikattukuppam and Devanerikuppam, in partnership with two local NGOs: MAEGA Trust, and IRDRP. First phase: emergency support including food, cooking material, clothes, blankets and shelter. Second phase: provided families with healthcare and psychological counseling to help cope with this tragedy. Third phase: provided families in the villages with the means to start or resume an income-generating activity.

Field trip to Congo

In a country stricken by war, poverty and political instability, CAF managed to bring a ray of hope to some 300 students studying in the Centre Scolaire Ndunge, a primary and secondary school complex known by CAF volunteers as “school with the broken roof”. It is located in Matete, one of the Kinshasa’s suburbs, and provides education to orphans and children from very poor families.

2011

Field trip to Tamil Nadu to verify the actual impact that the support of CAF.

We could see how the families whose lives have been struck by the Tsunami had rebuilt their lives, had proper accommodation, and with the help of CAF sponsors, were running a family business that allowed their children to receive the proper care and education they deserved. Realising the change that CAF’s support had brought to these and other families encouraged us to further develop our programmes.

Child Sponsoring.

CAF’s members sponsor 14 children in India.

Since 2011 every year some CAF members are doing they annual field trip for monitoring their projects.

First visit to Cambodia

2014
2015

Starting projects in Cambodia with LRDE and CABDICO

Developing the different programs in India and Cambodia.

2012-2018
2019

WELED Fund creation.

Child Sponsoring.

Up to 2020 CAF’s members sponsor 100 children.

2020