Save the Children history
Save the Children Denmark was founded on 14 March 1945. But Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy set up the 'Save the Children Fund' in Royal Albert Hall in London as early as 17 May 1919.
In 1923, Eglantyne Jebb wrote the first declaration in world history on the rights of the child. The year after, it was passed by the League of Nations in Geneva.
Thus, the leaders of the world had committed themselves, for the first time ever, to recognising, protecting and fulfilling children’s rights.
Help for European child victims of war
Save the Children Denmark’s chief task was to provide food for hundreds of thousands of child war victims from countries such as Poland, Hungary and Germany.
Meanwhile, Save the Children organised 21,000 temporary stays in Denmark for these minors.
Focus on Danish children
After the war, Save the Children Denmark began to focus on Danish children with physical or mental problems.
For instance, children from the city slums were invited to visit Danish families in the countryside, and centres were set up for children with diabetes, mental problems and other ailments.
Greenland
In 1950, Save the Children established its first nursery school in Greenland.
In 1954, the organisation was granted exclusive rights to run Greenland’s childcare institutions, and in 1968, these amounted to 20 centres from Upernavik in the North to Nanortalik in the south.
The Alliance is forged
In 1976, Save the Children organisations from Norway, Austria, USA, Canada, England and Denmark joined forces, setting up a red-tape-free cooperation arrangement under the name of the International Save the Children Alliance.
Today, the Save the Children Alliance encompasses around 30 Save the Children organisations from around the world. |
