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Dear Friends,
Over 300.000 unaccompanied and separated children moved across borders in 2015 and 2016. This is the data from 80 countries. Globally, the number is likely much higher, and seems to be increasing.
What do we do? Where do we start?
Individually, we can do very little in the face of such numbers, and our small organisation cannot mend every wrong that is done to every child – but we can begin.
That is precisely what we have been doing and aim to continue to do – thanks to your generosity and support.
We hope, as always, that you will enjoy reading our 2nd quarter newsletter and that you want to continue or to become a part of this impact.
- World Refugee Day. June 20th was World Refugee Day. Never before have refugees, migrants, or the displaced, been more vulnerable. The message from the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, was the following: "Their story is one of resilience, perseverance and courage. Ours must be of solidarity, compassion and action." Our thoughts exactly.
- Early Childhood Development Matters. Much of the brain’s architecture is shaped during a child’s early years with more than one million new neuron connections forming every second, meaning that every experience during this time leaves its mark on a life. These connections and experiences lay the groundwork for reactions, decisions, emotions, interactions, and new experiences throughout the rest of your life. Therefore, the importance of these early experiences cannot be emphasised enough.
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The sport for everyone
We are united in our love of the World Cup! Read more
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Refugee, to student, to teacher
How changing one life can change so many... Read more
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Children are the most vulnerable
A long-term impact.
Read more
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Early childhood development
The importance of the first three years. Read more
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In recognition of World Refugee Day, we want to share some information about refugees, migrants, and displaced persons around the world:
- Between 2005 & 2015 the number of child refugees under UNHCR’s mandate worldwide more than doubled, from 4 million to 9 million
- In countries affected by conflict, girls are two and a half times more likely to be out of school than boys
- Refugee children are 5 times more likely to be out of school than other children
- One in every 113 people have been forced to flee their homes because of war or persecution
- Only 50% of refugee children are enrolled in primary school, and less than 25% of refugee adolescents are enrolled in secondary school
Our deepest thanks to all of you who contribute in so many ways to our work. We cannot do it without you.
Your Friends,
Philanthropy Connections Foundation Team
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The sport for everyone
 While we are very sad that team Netherlands did not qualify for this year’s World Cup, the excitement of the tournament still unites people across the globe – Including the children at Koung Jor Shan Refugee Camp in northern Thailand!
The kids at Koung Jor love football and spend most of their free time kicking a ball around. Several of them even want to be football players or coaches when they grow up.
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Refugee, to student, to teacher
 Khan Nu, 19, lives at Koung Jor’s boarding house and has been teaching English as part of the evening English class programme for the past two years.
She plans to leave Koung Jor soon to pursue further education in Chiang Mai, but she loves being a teacher so much that she wants to continue teaching once she finishes her education.
Without the stepping stones provided by the safe, nurturing environment of the boarding house and the camp’s English language classes, Khan Nu most likely would not have had the opportunity to pursue her education.
Thank you to Sandra Vontobel-Niklaus and Yves Vontobel for supporting the boarding house for the past three years, and to the Popocatepetl Trust and David Williams for supporting the English language classes. Your support changes lives!
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Children are the most vulnerable
 Can you imagine having to send your children to work, instead of to school?
“The number of child labourers in agriculture worldwide has increased substantially from 98 million to 109 million since 2012 after more than a decade of continuous decline.”
This statistic comes from the International Labour Organisation.
In order for many families to survive, migrant and refugee households often have no choice but to send their children out to work. These children then have little chance of going to school or ever leaving poverty behind.
But there are so many ways to prevent this with adequate funding for education. This doesn’t only mean new schools – but lunches, milk, teacher salaries, and more.
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Early Childhood Development
 “Significant adversity (such as poverty) impairs development in the first three years of life—and the more adversity a child faces, the greater the odds of a developmental delay.” – Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University
This is why we care so much about early childhood development. When an individual starts behind it is difficult for them to catch up. But what about when this happens to thousands with a community, an ethnic group, a region, or even a country?
There is no good reason to leave so many people behind. Whether it is refugees looking to develop a stable education system, or rural children who face a language gap, they all deserve a fair and equal start.
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