The people behind Terre des hommes
Terre des hommes was created 60 years ago with a mission to rescue children in distress, no matter who they were or where they might be.
We have worked with families, communities and experts to save the lives of millions of children, and to improve their health and well-being. Over the last six decades, our growing expertise in child protection has enabled young people to reclaim their childhoods, even during crises when their whole lives were falling apart. Our volunteers and donors have supported us daily from the day we were founded.
What we are today, and what we fight for – the protection of the most disadvantaged children – we owe to your support. You, the hundreds of thousands of people who have contributed to the organisation’s history, who have fought with us and supported us, along with the children, families and their communities who have participated in and helped us improve our projects.
Meet the people behind Terre des hommes!
Healthcare for children: the first activities of Terre des hommes
Nothing would have been possible without our supporters...
…and the unwavering commitment of our staff in the field
Today, children and young people are not only at the heart of our projects but they play a full role in them.
A 60-year commitment to children
1960
Terre des hommes is founded
Outraged by the tragedy of child victims of the Algerian war, Edmond Kaiser founds Terre des hommes in 1960 as a movement to rescue children that are hungry, sick, abandoned, in misery or in pain, whoever and wherever they may be.

1962
The orange sale is launched
A Tdh volunteer has the idea to sell oranges to raise money to treat children in Switzerland. The first sale in Lausanne is a success. Little by little, the project grows and expands throughout Switzerland, thanks to the unfailing commitment of our volunteers.

1963
The beginning of heart surgeries
An eleven-year-old Algerian girl is the first child to undergo heart surgery in Geneva. Since 1963, thanks to a huge volunteer network, underprivileged children suffering mainly from heart defects are transferred to Europe for operations that cannot be performed in their own countries. Today, we focus on strengthening the skills of local medical staff.

1965
First emergency deployment to the field
During the Vietnam war, Tdh teams with emergency equipment are deployed for the first time to the field. They support the local health staff overwhelmed by the mass influx of wounded people to hospitals which are often poorly equipped.

1975
Collaboration with local stakeholders
Tdh develops partnerships with local authorities and forges links with communities in Bangladesh to set up a nutrition centre for children during the hunger crisis. This method of working was is innovative at the time and is vital today.

1995
Creation of the Child Rights Unit
With Switzerland yet to ratify the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Terre des hommes takes a strong stance on defending children's rights by creating a Child Rights Unit. In the 1990s, Tdh fights against child trafficking in eastern Europe, calling on countries to apply national and international law as a way of ensuring children are protected.

2009
First World Congress on Justice for Children
Tdh organises the First World Congress on Restorative Juvenile Justice in Lima, Peru. One hundred state, religious or community justice professionals meet to debate and share best practices in protecting children in conflict with the law.

2014
Tdh innovates with digital health
Tdh develops IeDA in Burkina Faso, a tablet-based tool that helps medical staff make more accurate diagnoses of children under the age of five. Thanks to a long-standing collaboration with the government and based on local health structures, our project has enabled more than three million children to receive quality care.

How did it look like in the past?
Discover how Tdh has changed over time.
Our magazine ‘Courage’ used to be ‘La trompette’ (The Trumpet) and looked completely different, but our oranges haven’t aged a wrinkle since they were first sold in 1962.