Every child should have the right to grow up in a secure environment, to have enough to eat, and to go to school. Nevertheless, many children grow up in very difficult circumstances.
Since 1968, Handelsbanken’s Children’s Fund has helped to ensure a better future for children all over the world. In 2023, with the help of colleagues, retired Handelsbankers, branches and central units, the Fund was able to donate a total of SEK 938 583.
The money was donated to ten different aid organisations and institutions that support children throughout the world. The donations went both to individual sponsored children and to various projects helping groups of children. The Fund devotes a great deal of work to finding the “right” recipients for donations. We have high demands as regards contact persons and back-reporting, to ensure that our support is having the greatest possible benefit.
A high proportion of our donations go to schooling, or often to food for street-children or children from difficult home circumstances. Among other things, we now fund 100 per cent of the running costs of two schools in the Himalayan region.
At present, the Fund is supported by around 350 Handelsbankers through monthly standing orders, and through gifts from some branches and units, as well as colleagues. The most substantial gifts are made at Christmas time. In addition, the Fund’s sales of Christmas cards and other greetings cards, as well as its evening events, collection boxes and second-hand book sales, make a major contribution to its revenues.
At the moment, most donations are from our employees, branches and units in Sweden. Therefore we are now looking for ambassadors outside Sweden who can help us in spreading information about our operations and assist us with administration in their country. If you’d like to know more about Handelsbanken’s Children’s Fund, and are interested in helping us in our work, then please contact us at fadderbarnsfonden@handelsbanken.se.