About us

about us
Our work worldwide

Terre des hommes (Tdh) is the leading Swiss organisation for children’s aid. Since 1960, Tdh has helped build a better future for vulnerable children and their communities, making an impact with innovative and sustainable solutions. Through our health, protection and emergency relief programmes, we provide assistance to over four million children and their families in more than 40 countries each year.

4.2
million children and their relatives received aid in 2018
42
countries of intervention in 2018
60
years of helping children in need
Our mission

Terre des hommes is committed to making significant and lasting improvements to the lives of the most vulnerable children worldwide.

Our values
Courage

We strive to make brave choices and to act with conviction and determination.

Ambition

We aim to bring about positive, significant and lasting change in the lives of children and their communities.

Respect

We favour an honest, responsible and open approach based on cooperation and acceptance of diversity.

Commitment

We endeavour to act with humanity and professionalism with and around children, and to promote fairness and equality.

Our objectives

Children are the first to suffer in times of war, natural disasters and as a result of poverty. At Terre des hommes, our goal is to steadily improve the conditions of the most vulnerable children worldwide. We are focused on five main objectives:

  • Improving the health of children under the age of five and of children in need of specialised medical care
  • Protecting migrant children
  • Preventing child exploitation
  • Promoting restorative justice for children in conflict with the law
  • Providing humanitarian aid to children and their families in times of emergency and crisis
Our guiding principles

Our programmes and projects revolve around:

  • Children’s rights and their best interests
  • Creating a strong local presence in close proximity to children, their families and communities
  • Establishing close cooperation with local bodies based on respect
  • Constant improvement and innovation
  • Enhancing protection, health and justice systems in the long term

Learn more about Terre des hommes work in the world.  

Learn more about our work in Europe.

 

Timeline
1960

Creation of Terre des hommes by Edmond Kaiser.

1966

The charter setting out the primary objectives and ethical principles of the association is drafted by Edmond Kaiser and adopted. The Swiss model inspires the creation of other Terre des hommes bodies in France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, to name but a few. They all come together to form the Terre des Hommes International Federation (TDHIF) -

1970

Am încheiat în România parteneriate pentru promovarea respectării drepturilor copiilor cu HIV.

1980

Edmond Kaiser leaves Terre des hommes to found Sentinelles.

1988

Terre des hommes Switzerland changes its status from an association to a foundation and files its new statutes.

2002

The French Republic awards the Human Rights Prize to Terre des hommes for its work in fighting child trafficking in Eastern Europe.

2010

The Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2020

The Foundation celebrates its 60th anniversary.