Bernard van Leer Foundation

The Bernard van Leer Foundation [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/ Bernard van Leer Foundation - Early childhood development and child rights grantmaking and publications (Home page) ] ] is a private grantmaking foundation that funds and shares knowledge internationally about work in early childhood development and child rights. It was established in 1949 and is based in the Netherlands.

The foundation's income is derived from the bequest of Bernard van Leer, a Dutch industrialist and philanthropist who lived from 1883 to 1958, and made his fortune from the packaging company he founded in 1919, Royal Packaging Industries Van Leer. An amateur circus-master, Bernard van Leer has been described by a biographer as an "indefatigable businessman, who subordinated everything and everyone to his business interests; a driven individualist, a quick thinker, restive and irritating" [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/about/bernard_van_leer_biography Bernard van Leer Foundation - Bernard van Leer biography ] ] .

After Bernard van Leer's death in 1958, the foundation was given a clearer organisation and focus by his son Oscar van Leer, described as "intelligent, quick-witted and a gifted pianist". [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/publication_store/publication_store_publications/a_legacy_for_humankind/file] From 1964 the Bernard van Leer Foundation focused on young children, primary education and youth, and since 1980 has concentrated exclusively on disadvantaged young children. It funded its first international project, in Jamaica, in 1966. [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/about/history Bernard van Leer Foundation - History and income ] ]

The foundation's income is channelled through the Van Leer Group Foundation [ [http://www.vanleergroupfoundation.nl Van Leer Group Foundation - Home ] ] , which also funds the Jerusalem Film Centre [ [http://www.jer-cin.org.il/index.php?lang=ENG&PHPSESSID=8dbc36da790fdab28e7cd9c570f7d3e7 The Jerusalem Cinematheuqe | סינמטק ירושלים ] ] and the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute [ [http://www.vanleer.org.il/default_e.asp The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute ] ] . The members of the Van Leer Group Foundation's governing council also form the board of trustees of the Bernard van Leer Foundation. In the late 1990s, the Van Leer Group Foundation sold Royal Packaging Industries Van Leer, which it had fully owned, and now derives its income from a venture capital company and a global portfolio of equities, securities and property.

The Bernard van Leer Foundation's mission is "to improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically difficult circumstances". Currently the foundation funds work in three issue areas: "Strengthening the care environment" [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/partners/care Bernard van Leer Foundation - Strengthening the care environment ] ] , "Successful transitions: The continuum from home to school" [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/partners/transitions Bernard van Leer Foundation - Transitions ] ] , and "Respect for diversity and social inclusion". [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/partners/diversity Bernard van Leer Foundation - Diversity ] ] The foundation currently supports about 140 major projects which are implemented through local partners, focused on 21 countries which include both developing and industrialised countries and represent a geographical range that encompasses Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/partners/browse_by_location Bernard van Leer Foundation - Browse by location ] ]

The foundation publishes a biannual journal entitled Early Childhood Matters, also published in Spanish as Espacio para la Infancia, along with occasional working papers and books, all of which are made available free of charge. [ [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/publications Bernard van Leer Foundation - Publications - Our latest publications about early childhood development and child rights ] ]

The Bernard van Leer Foundation disburses in grants a figure in the region of 20 million euros annually. [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/publication_store/publication_store_publications/annual_report_2006/file] Its international grantmaking activities over several decades are credited with having helped to raise early childhood on the political agenda, notably through contributions to the development of the early childhood care and education sector in Jamaica and the Preschool Education Project in Kenya. [ [http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001477/147794E.pdf Strong foundations: early childhood care and education;EFA global monitoring report, 2007; 2006 ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.bernardvanleer.org/ Bernard van Leer Foundation Home Page]