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Alternatives 4 Children – The Financial Industry Charity

Alternatives 4 Children – The Financial Industry Charity

Founded in 2011 as a private initiative of Netherlands-based alternativeinvestment professionals, Alternatives 4 Children (A4C) is an independent charitable foundation that aims to improve the well-being of children, particularly in terms of education. A4C does so by financing carefully selected projects, which have long term perspectives. The selection and monitoring is carried out by investment professionals as well as local stakeholders.

Promising projects

Promising, small-scale projects that can make a difference to communities, countries and the next generation are chosen on the basis of specific criteria. Only initiatives that fall under education, healthcare, hygene, clean water, housing and family support are considered. A candidate project must also have the potential to become sustainable and self-reliant and should encourage entrepreneurialism. ‘We require that selected projects show personal involvement and commitment by setting objectives and realistic short- and long-term goals,’ says A4C Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Sophie Robé. ‘We also bring our financial and business acumen to projects.’ We insist on local anchoring, which is a key criterion, whereby personal involvement of parents, teachers and the community ensures commitment to the projects. According to fellow A4C Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Marc de Kloe, ‘this willingness is not only important for educational continuity and a safe environment for the children, but also for ultimately ending dependence on external funding.’

All A4C projects must be fully transparent regarding funding allocation. ‘We expect beneficiaries to provide regular status and financial updates,’ Robé explains. ‘This allows us to set realistic goals for the projects we select and to have a clear overview of how our funding is allocated,’ De Kloe explains, adding that ‘we select our projects and provide grants as if we were making large scale financial investments.’ However, ‘the modest scale of our projects ensures that A4C can add maximum value and impact,’ he confirms.

Educational opportunities

A4C is currently supporting seven qualified projects globally, through which they are reaching more than 500 children. These projects include:

  • Education and urgent access to food and water in a refugee camp in Mauritania for 65 displaced students of Mali’s Scarab School.
  • Scholarships for the top students among 2,500 children, receiving secondary education and vocational trainings from the Kamitei Foundation.
  • Access to education and school supplies for 65 children residing at Macheo Children’s Home in Kenya.
  • Certified education in buildings compliant with national safety standards for 150 children in Ghana.
  • Extracurricular financial and entre- preneurial education via Day for Change Foundation for 150 underprivileged children in the Netherlands.
  • Education and social services for more than 120 children at the Edelweiss School in Mumbai.
  • Education, tutorial support and uniforms for 65 girls from the Pardeshi slum in Mumbai via Tiny Miracles Foundation.
  • Providing uncared for children with education, vocational training & medical care via Kuychi/Ninos del Arco Iris in Peru.

How can you help us?

A4C organises fund-raising events such as cocktail receptions, sports events and gala dinners for its network in the Netherlands, and is always seeking sponsors and support. We reach out to over 500 people in the Dutch financial industry on a regular basis.

You can help us by becoming involved and taking action. We are now reaching out beyond the pure alternatives world and into the broader financial world.

  • Join our events
  • Become a sponsor
  • Donate to a specific project
  • Become a volunteer
  • Organise an event and raise money for us
  • Help us with our project work
  • Finance our administrative work

‘By giving back through A4C, industry professionals can connect and help children in need,’ De Kloe and Robé conclude.

For more information on A4C and how to provide support, please visit www.a4c.nl or contact Marc de Kloe or Sophie Robé directly.