Contact
Email: mvdl@friendshifts.org
Tel: 00 (31) 629 263 421
Postal address: Van der Muelenstraat 14, 3971 EC Driebergen
THE NETHERLANDS
Help Myanmar earthquake victims
Thousands of people have lost everything: their homes, their families, their safety.
With your donation, we can provide immediate emergency aid – clean drinking water, food, medical care and shelter.
Every euro counts.
Stand beside the people of Myanmar today.
Thank you for your compassion and support.
All children have the right to quality education
Our mission is to support underprivileged children to create a better future for themselves through education. According to the UN convention on the rights of the child, every child has the right to education, which helps them to fully develop their abilities, personality and talents. We believe that primary, secondary education and vocational training are key to overcoming socia-economic road blocks. With a certificate or a diploma, the chances of landing a stable job with a stable income increases dramatically. This way children create a better future for themselves and their future families.
We also focus on a dozen other rights of the child, such as the rights of children with disabilities, social and economic assistance in crises, the right to access information via the Internet and other sources, and the right to exchange ideas.
Supporting and guiding as many diverse, underprivileged children and youth to financial independency as possible is our vision.
At all levels (children, donors, teachers, volunteers and partners) personal attention is key for us. We focus on empowering all children and the local partners we work with and we chose our actions as to have maximum impact. These are our corporate values.
FRIEND-SHIFTS
In general, we develop friendships with people whom we are close to, with people who are like us. That is a natural process. At Friendshifts, children establish contact with children of the same age who, at first glance, are very different. They wear different clothes, eat other kinds of food, talk differently, dress differently. Little by little they discover that there are also a lot of similarities. They realize that despite the differences, they can be friends. Enter: friend-shifts.
Our “learning together” projects
With funding of the EU and Wilde Ganzen we connect for Global Change.
Current large issue like climate crises, migration, and for example pandemics, ask for global solutions.
With the project days for high school students we develop their world citizenship skills.
TOLERANCE AND RESPECT FOR OTHER SPIRITUAL CHOICES
In this dynamic, full-day program, students dive into the rich diversity of global belief systems (including the major world religions and Humanism) through real-time conversations with practicing youth from partner countries. These live exchanges give students firsthand insight into how faith and philosophy shape daily life across cultures.
They’ll discover that religions are more than just belief systems, they are also organizations, and it’s often within these structures that tensions arise. Students are encouraged to think critically about the intersection of religion, power, and gender, particularly the role of women in traditional institutions. Most importantly, they learn that every religion is a unique answer to the same three universal questions.
Using interactive tools like Nearpod, Kahoot, collaborative games, online research, and group presentations, students engage deeply while having fun. The day ends with personal reflection: they assess their own assumptions, note any shifts in perspective, and consider how to navigate complex, potentially polarizing conversations with empathy and confidence.
SDGs AND HEALTH
During this project day, students explore the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, focusing especially on Goal: Good Health and Well-being.
Through live exchanges with peers in partner countries, they learn about global health care systems, inequalities affecting women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities, and present their findings to classmates.
Interactive tools like Nearpod and Kahoot support their learning as they reflect on the connection between poverty and health, and how they can adopt healthier lifestyles to contribute to a more sustainable future.
“LEARNING TOGETHER” PROGRAM
For underprivileged children, studying asks for a different self-awareness. Is it reasonable to study if my parents haven’t even finished primary school? Or if my 15-year-old sister gets married and leaves school? Do I have the courage to develop a personal ambition? It is important for children to start regarding themselves as individuals with unique talents, motivation and personal ambitions, who look for and take opportunities. In order to develop this self-awareness, we developed the Learning Together program. We establish contacts between children from Togo, Myanmar, Jordan and India and pupils in Europe, the USA and Japan. These contacts have a positive effect on both parties. The children feel acknowledged, and reflect on themselves and their ambitions. The contacts nurture development of life skills and emotional intelligence. Equivalence develops this way.
The children write letters, make drawings and artwork. If technology allows, they shoot videos, talk on Zoom or play a life Kahoot together. Subjects of conversation can be personal like: “What am I proud of?” “What are my dreams for the future?” or more general subjects like researching SDGs. As a result of these discussions, children learn with and about each other, leading to tolerance.
OUR LOCAL PARTNERS
For the practical support of the pupils we work together with fantastic local partners in Togo, Myanmar, Jordan and India.
CAST (Centre d’Action Social au Togo) takes care of 40 orphans in their center in Kpalimé. When the children reach the age of 12 they will live in a foster family. Being part of family live helps them to create a family once they grow up. Another 530 poor children get support. CAST pays for their tuition fees and school supplies, also offering social and psychological support. For some children they fund medical treatments. You can find more information here: http://cas-togo.org/
Founded in 2012, APEM is a foundation for children with hearing disorders. The foundation helps improve the living conditions of deaf children in the Kpalimé area. They provide education to prevent deafness, they screen children for hearing problems and they facilitate vocational training. Moreover, parents also learn American Sign Language and the foundation has 2 elementary schools where children learn sign language and follow the general school program. Children with speech disorders and siblings of deaf children are also welcome at the school in Adeta. Learn more at https://apemtogo.com
In Myanmar we work with association World Child Care. They take care of 400 underprivileged children who live at the compound of PDO high school in Mandalay. The association pays for school supplies, uniforms, toiletries, healthy food and also invests in teacher salaries, vocational training. 150 children participate in an English & Life Skill Program. More information https://www.worldchildcare.org/
In Jordan we work with Liwan Youth Space. Liwan focuses on people as young as 16 years old. It gives them a chance to be part of a community where they can freely express themselves, develop a vision, gain experience and expand their network. All this helps them create social and political change for themselves and the community.
Liwan operates in more than 10 countries in the Middle East. We work with Liwan in Amman, where its headquarters are located. Learn more at: https://tammey.org/?s=Liwan
In 2024 we started collaboration with Makkala Jagriti in Bangalore, India. Since 2003, Makkala Jagriti has been working with the “holistic development learning model” that enables thousands of underprivileged children and youth to maximize their learning and potential. This will break the chain of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. The foundation focuses on improving preschool education, setting up learning centers in government schools, slums and childcare centers, and training young people in life skills. Every day, 25,000 benefit from its services. The foundation was voted Bangalore’s best NGO. https://makkalajagriti.org
Since beginning of 2025 we started collaboration with the Thai Child Development Foundation (TCDF). This is a registered charity committed to fostering positive transformation in rural Thailand. Their focus is on empowering underprivileged children through healthcare, education, and sustainable community development. At the core of the foundation lies a commitment to education for all. Our carefully developed customized curriculum and programs uplift each student, blending traditional academics with personal development. Ensuring education for all, for example through a school for special-needs-children.
IN THE CLASSROOM
For middle schools we offer world citizenship programs, focussing on SDGs. The objective is to teach global citizenship values and skills further to SLO building blocks. Schools can purchase the program or organise fund raising activities for Friendshifts.
- 7th grade: Game introducing the 17 SDGs.
- 8th grade: cross-curricular assigments apllying knowledge on one of partner countries (Togo, Jordan, Myamanr or India)
- 9th grade: Either project day or seperate lessons discovering SDG 3 healthcare, SDG 7, 12 and 13 sutainability, SDG 16 peace and justice. Researching position for own country and learn from peer in other country about their position.
- 10th grade: International correspondance and virtual live exchanges in English, French and German classes.
For primary schools we have:
- Peaceable School: A project where the lessons that are learned can be applied in an interview session with children in Togo, Myanmar, Jordan or India
- Discovery boxes: With 10 daily items from other countries, pupils learn about daily life.
Hi pupils
Would you like to talk to girls from Myanmar? Or with a boy from Togo? Or children in Jordan? Would you like to know how they live? What sports they like? What kind of job they want to do when they grow up?
We from Friendshifts help children to learn from each other through contacts. We propose fun and interesting lessons for your school so you can start.
Websites on Togo
General on Togo: https://wikikids.nl/Togo https://tinyurl.com/s85cgva
A video: https://tinyurl.com/vh66k6o
School in Togo: https://tinyurl.com/tugeo8l
Nature in Togo: https://tinyurl.com/vq6o27e
Animisme as religion : https://tinyurl.com/tugeo8l
Video on dancing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkulafC3O7U
Websites on Myanmar
On Myanmar in general: https://blog.littlelives.com/explain-to-kids-myanmar-6835ffa0929d,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX48mJjL7oU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHRPPyc4d_E
On children in Myanmar: https://www.humanium.org/en/myanmar/
On Buddhism: http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/religion/buddhism.htm
On schools in Myanmar: https://www.unicef.org/myanmar/education
Websites on Jordan
General on Jordan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWfu0BKOZ5g
https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Jordan/345716
On history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHrjmg1sYlM
About children: https://www.unicef.org/jordan/
On the population: https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/jordan/location
On islam: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Islam/353307 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1FwtiL77tE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hW3hH9_7pI
On schools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg8U-a-TFWs
Click & meet children
Click & see games
Click & discover colouring pictures
HOW YOUR DONATIONS HELP
With the funds we sponsor school fees and school supplies for children and students like small Etse Bassel, Abra Satwi (deaf) or the teenager Hnin Hnin Shwe. For more than 20 children we paid for ID cards and national official documents to be able to participate in exams.
We funded laptops and telephones for local partners to guarantee smooth communication and cooperation.
With a large donation from Mendix, we are financing the construction of a school building for deaf children in Togo.
For more than 90 girls in MYanmar we funded daily English courses.
Funds from Amorph Systems are used to pay for installation of fiber optics and computer courses in Togo, Jordan and India. In addition to the basics on the computer, the participants discover Wikipedia, tutorials on You Tube, Google translate and Google maps. They learn to learn.
All funds of schools and private donors are 100% transferred to the partner organization. Logistical costs, materials and travel were paid for personally by Marieke for the first 3 years. We are looking for corporate partners which agree to use 10% of the donation for operational costs.
We thank our business partners
Transcosmos Inc is an IT firm from Japan, active in the whole of Asia. They provide business process services, operate call centers, digital marketing services and e-commerce services. The firm is well established in Asia and is expanding in Europe. They support us with costs for the exchanges with Japan, and children of their employees wrote with children in Togo.
For more information on Transcosmos check : https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/
Arigato gozaimasu.
We are very happy to start our partnership with Amorph Systems (Germany). As no one, the team of Amorph Systems is aware of the benefits of IT skills for any youngster; in the western world as well as in Sub Saharan Africa, Asia or other poor regions. Thanks to their support we have started courses for underprivileged children to acquire basic IT skills. The courses will help them acquire knowledge, facilitate further studies, and enable them to participate in the digital world.
Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lsNi_oTAZo
More information on Amorph Systems: https://amorphsys.com/
Mendix is a Siemens business with headquarters at Rotterdam and Boston. Their tag line is “Go and make it”. In January we were selected as one of three good causes employees could donate money to. The generous donation of Mendix will be used to construct a school for hearing impaired children in Togo. With education, they too, can go and make it.
More information on Mendix: https://www.mendix.com/
The Wilde Ganzen Foundation is a Dutch NGO, founded in 1957 with a mission to reduce poverty and inequality through community-led initiatives. They support community-based organizations in the Global South and their Dutch fundraising partners in joint efforts to achieve a better future. They believe that communities should have control over their own development.
The Wilde Ganzen Foundation uses more than 65 years of operational experience in international development to promote responsible philanthropy. They support social changemakers that are taking on initiatives to fight inequality. They do so through grantmaking, in-depth technical assistance, education, expertise and our on-the-ground networks for the construction of the school for hearing impaired in Togo.
WE ARE
When Marieke was 5 years old, she saw a famine in Africa on the TV news. She decided she would go and help underprivileged children once grown up. She studied anthropology, worked in the corporate world, and sometimes as a volunteer. At 50 she joined a group of friends to develop the activities above. In January 2020 she founded the association Friendshifts in order to develop a worldwide network to maximize impact.
Everybody is welcome in our association, no matter their gender, colour, religion, race etc. We exist for everybody, also for you.
No one in the board receives any salary or compensation for their activities for Friendshifts.
THE BOARD
Marieke van der Laan is the president and treasurer of the organization. As an anthropologist she is very interested in other cultures. Her experience as a trainer and consultant help to carry out the tasks of the association. They make her very happy.
Herodote was supported by CAST. He obtained his MBA degree in the USA and now works as Office Operations Supervisor for the USA Census Bureau. His enthusiasm, personal history and his knowledge make him a valuable member of the committee.
Hendrik is general member of the committee. He has a lot of professional experience abroad. He worked as a water and environmental engineer. For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs he evaluated projects of vocational training in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He is very motivated to contribute to Friendshifts.
Marjan van Ham is secretary of Friendshifts. Marjan travelled in Asia and Africa and felt great affection towards the children there. She is a teacher and coordinator in a business school. Her enthusiasm and her practical approach are very valuable for the board.
Thérèse is a medical director in an insurance company and works as a family physician specialized in infants. She is pleased to advise on care for children.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
In order to contribute to a better future for underprivileged children you can either:
- Pitch in for costs of educational material (school uniforms, educational games, books) Choose your amount ____________
- Contribute 25€ for study costs for teenagers like Abra Satwi (school for deaf) or of Emilie Awadi (medicine). 25€ or ___________
- Pay 1 euro per day for school supplies and medical costs of 1 child in Togo, India or in Myanmar. You will receive news and letters from the child 2 times a year. (30€ per month).
You can wire the money on bank account NL 45 TRIO 0788 9245 75 in the name of Stichting Friendshifts. Please specify your chosen goal. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
We hold an ANBI license. All donations can be deducted from Dutch taxes.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE?
It would be a pleasure to get into contact with you. Maybe we can see each other at school. You can also write at mvdl@friendshifts.org or fill in the contact form below.
