Our story
1938
China’s Children Fund is founded by Dr. J Calvitt Clarke in China.
1947
Dr. Clarke pioneers the sponsorship concept of connecting donors and children.
1951
The mission expands to more countries and the name changes to Christian Children’s Fund.
1990
Christian Children's Fund (CCF) opens an office in Auckland, and Kiwis began sponsoring children
2002
11 child-focused organisations come together to form ChildFund Alliance
2009
CCF renames to ChildFund to reflect the secular nature of its work
2025
ChildFund New Zealand celebrates 35 years of helping children and families around the world
Our 80-year history of meeting children's needs.
We remain part of a global alliance of 11 child focused organisations, working in over 70 countries. Together, we raise about a billion dollars each year to help nearly 36 million children and families thrive and reach their potential.
In New Zealand - Aotearoa, we share a Pacific home with some of the most remote and aid-dependent communities in the world. Children in parts of the Pacific suffer alarming levels of malnutrition and high levels of stunting. Too many miss out on a quality education, sometimes just because they lack access to clean water.
The region is vulnerable to natural disasters - cyclones, earthquakes and volcanoes, and is on the front line of climate change. We know that the people of the Blue Pacific are united in leading their own development.
So, our priority is partnership with Pacific communities. Through the ChildFund Alliance we also support children in conflict areas like Ukraine and Gaza, as well as in communities in Africa and South East Asia suffering famine, extreme poverty, and the urgent need to adapt to climate change. ChildFund reaches about 100,000 children and young people in over 100 communities in the Pacific and beyond.
Our values
Outcomes first
Our practical, community-led solutions deliver measurable results for children and families. Evidence and data guide what we do so we are constantly improving.
One team
Good ideas come from anywhere in our organisation. We help each other, step in when needed, and hold each other accountable for results.
Do the right thing, not the easy thing
New approaches are encouraged and tested to strengthen outcomes. We learn fast, take responsibility, and talk openly about successes and mistakes.
Stewardship and Trust
We treat donor funds as if they were our own savings. We communicate clearly and avoid jargon. If people understand our work, they trust us to make a difference.
Local leadership
Local partnerships guide us. Communities design, lead, and implement the work, with our robust and honest support.
Work well
We keep meetings short and focused and speak honestly even when uncomfortable. We use flexibility responsibly to maintain a healthy balance and strong performance.
Our Purpose
We help to power a future for the Pacific’s children by building stronger communities.
ChildFund’s purpose is our core reason for being. Knowing what we want to achieve helps us make the most impact in the communities where we work. We believe that a better future for the Pacific’s children can only be achieved by building stronger communities. To do that we need to understand and remove the barriers that are preventing children and youth from learning and growing.
Sometimes those barriers can be life’s basics – like no access to clean water, a shortage of nutritious food, or a lack of education or violence threatens children’s lives. By powering change, by removing barriers we can help transform their futures.
Our approach
With the generous help of caring Kiwi’s, ChildFund works directly with communities and partners to deliver locally led projects. We build the capability of our local partners with training and support, so they are stronger and to ensure projects are sustainable long-term.
Local communities identify their most critical needs so we can make sure funds and resources get to the right places and deliver real impact.
How we think
What we do
We remove the barriers that prevent children and young people in the Pacific from learning and growing so they have a future.
Our Shared Vision
A proud Pacific that is no longer dependent on aid and charities, making our shared region stronger and safer. The barriers that stop children in the Pacific accessing education and training are removed. The Pacific children of today are the leaders, engineers, teachers and business innovators of tomorrow. They will realise the ambitions of our shared Pacific region. Through support for our ChildFund Alliance partners we do the same for children in conflict zones, and those living in extreme poverty beyond the Pacific.
How we work in the Pacific
We connect caring Kiwis directly with communities in need, who deliver locally-led solutions. We build the organisational capability of our local partners so they are stronger and able to deliver long term solutions.
How we work in the rest of the world.
We connect caring Kiwis directly with communities in humanitarian crises across the world , so we can save lives and keep kids healthy and learning even in a disaster. We do this through our ChildFund partners across the globe who have local teams in places like Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa.
Our New Zealand team
Our focus areas
Our supporting partners
Partnerships are central to our work. We know it takes a community (and working with others) to create solutions that help children and youth to thrive.
In New Zealand, we partner with individuals, like-minded organisations and the New Zealand Government to create meaning, lasting change.
Around the world, we partner with local, regional and international organisations, and governments to reach the goal of supporting communities to thrive.
Our implementation partners
ChildFund Kenya
Operating in Kenya since 1960, partnering with children, families, and communities to enhance health, education, safety, and life skills.
ChildFund Kiribati
Working in Kiribati since 1996, supporting I-Kiribati children and youth to thrive through initiatives focused on education, family wellbeing, nutrition, disaster resilience, and access to safe drinking water.
ChildFund Papua New Guinea (PNG)
Working in PNG since 1994 in partnership with remote, rural communities to improve access to basic services. ChildFund PNG have strong focus on stopping violence against women and children.
ChildFund Sri Lanka
Working in Sri Lanka since 1985, for the development and protection of children and youth.
ChildFund Vietnam
ChildFund Vietnam is a representative office of Australia. Since 1995, they have been working alongside children, families, and communities - particularly vulnerable and ethnic minority groups- to reduce poverty and uphold children’s rights through programs in education, health, protection, and livelihoods.
Greenergy Pacific
A community-based organisation delivering development and climate initiatives in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands, with a vision to promote and establish Climate Smart Villages as a pathway to resilience and long-term sustainability.
Seif Ples
A 24/7 crisis and referral centre in the Solomon Islands providing emergency medical assistance, psychological first aid, safe shelter, and hotline services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, while linking them to additional health, legal, and social support.
SIEVAP Coalition
A coalition of NGOs in the Solomon Islands working to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls through advocacy, raising community awareness, and delivering support services.
Solomon Islands National Youth Congress
The national umbrella organisation representing youth groups across the Solomon Islands, advocating for young people’s interests and supporting their participation in development, governance, and community initiatives.
Educo Bangladesh
An international humanitarian and development NGO operating in Bangladesh, focused on children’s wellbeing and rights, with a strong emphasis on access to quality education.
Samaj Kalyan Unnayan Shangstha (SKUS)
A non-profit, non-governmental and non-political, women-led development organisation in Bangladesh, partnering with Educo Bangladesh to implement humanitarian projects in Cox’s Bazar.
Quang Han and Quang Uyen Provincial People's Committee
Local government authorities in Cao Bằng Province, Vietnam, responsible for public administration, service delivery, and coordinating socio-economic development at both district and commune levels.
Cao Bang Provincial Red Cross Society
The Cao Bằng branch of the Vietnam Red Cross, delivering humanitarian aid, disaster response, healthcare services, and community-based support for vulnerable groups.
Action Aid Vanuatu
An independent member of the ActionAid Federation based in Port Vila, working to empower Ni-Vanuatu women, particularly in times of crisis, to become strong leaders within their communities.
Women I Tok Tok Tugeta (WITTT) network
A locally-led and driven women’s forum that brings together over 9,000 women on five islands in Vanuatu, who meet regularly through women’s collectives to advance their rights and drive locally-led responses to climate change and disasters.
Further Arts
A women-led charitable organisation working to empower ni-Vanuatu to develop long-term social and commercial enterprises in the industries of creative arts, communications and agriculture that are culturally, socially, environmentally and financially sustainable.
ChildFund Ethiopia
ChildFund Ethiopia has worked in Ethiopia since 1971, focused on improving outcomes for vulnerable children through programs in education, health, nutrition, child protection, and community development.
Action Unity (AU) Lanka
A Sri Lankan NGO working to enhance the wellbeing of children, youth, and communities through initiatives spanning education, health, livelihoods, and child protection.