Stichting Kind is the initiative of Marcel and Lia Hartman. We came to South Africa four years ago and made this beautiful country our home. We consider it a privilege to live here, although we also see the impoverished side on a daily basis: the enormous shack townships, unemployment, poverty, aids ...

We came to realise that things we take for granted in The Netherlands, such as daily meals, medicine, a home and a job, do not come as naturally here in South Africa. During the past few years we have supported many charity organisations but it was not always clear to us if our donations were spent as intended. Hence we decided six months ago to take it upon ourselves to start an initiative where donations will be used as directed.

We approached our friends, acquaintances and family in The Netherlands and carefully laid out our plans. What a fantastic response!

There are many charities that need support, but you - as a donor - do not always know exactly where your money will be spent. Now this is where we are distinguished from the rest: clearly defined short- and long-term goals. KIND stands central, but there are also smaller, more personal projects. For example: a child needs an operation, but the mother doesn't have the money to pay for the necessary operation; a pensioner that needs chemotherapy but does not have the money for a taxi to take him for treatments; or a youth that qualifies to go to university, but the parents do not have the funds to pay class fees. It is almost overwhelming to realise what your contribution can mean to the lives of these people.

All projects are planned and overseen from our home and therefore saves on overhead costs, such as renting office space. As a result, all donations received go directly to one main goal. It is a project that we've just started, but we are very proud of it.