The history of Plan UK - from 1937 to present days

'We may be young but we have some very good ideas. Children can do something if they are given the chance'
Zubeda - 12 - Tanzania

Plan was founded in 1937 by British journalist John Langdon-Davies and refugee worker Eric Muggeridge.

1937 - During the Spanish Civil War, as many as 11,000 refugees a day were passing through the railway station at Santander in Spain. Many were orphaned children. Among them, was a little boy whose father had pencilled this note, 'This is Jose. I am his father. When Santander falls I shall be shot, whoever finds my son, take care of him for me.'

John Langdon-Davies, a British war correspondent, found Jose, and along with his friend Eric Muggeridge, began to help children orphaned by the Spanish Civil War. They established the 'Foster Parents Plan for Children in Spain' to assist refugee and orphaned children.

In the colony they set up children were provided with shelter, food and necessary stability and support to grow into confident men and women capable of facing life ahead of them. Games and plays helped them to express their emotions and to try to overcome the trauma of war and losing their parents. Teachers and artists used art coaching to help the children make drawings that communicated their views and visions of the future. Basic education lessons helped children to return to some form of normal life. Workshops provided them with the skills to grow vegetables and learn how to make bedding, clothes, toys, sandals and showed them the importance of being self-reliant. Children learnt to voice their ideas by participating in the running of the colony through children's councils.

1940's - When World War II began in 1939 Foster Parents Plan for Children in Spain prepared to assist children in need from European countries including Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands.

1950's - 1960's - By the late 1950's and early 60's the European economy had started to recover, the European countries could again provide for their own poor and disadvantaged children, so the organisation spread its work to children, their families and poor communities in countries including, Colombia, China, Vietnam, India, Ethiopia, Korea and Senegal.

Foster Parents Plan

1970's - 1980's - Between 1970's - 1990's Foster Parents worked for children in 33 of the world's poorest countries, including Indonesia, Philippines, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, El Salvador, Sudan, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, Guinea, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe.

In these countries child poverty was an endemic and permanent part of the daily life of children, not just an emergency condition due to war. Because of extreme poverty many younger children were placed in orphanages whilst their older siblings had to work. With the collaboration of the communities, the poorest families were assisted through Plan's programmes. The programmes gave supporters in other countries the opportunity to help communities lift themselves out of poverty, contributing to projects designed to raise the quality of healthcare, education, environment, living conditions and livelihood.

1990's - The organisation was renamed 'Plan' to reflect is aim of bringing constructive, lasting changes to the lives of children in need across the world, and help them realise their potential, whatever their circumstances. Plan's work focused on children's rights.

Today - Langdon-Davies enthusiasm for helping children orphaned during the Spanish Civil War, listening to their dreams and aspirations, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to improve their lives and make a better future for their children, is still very much Plan's ethos today. Plan works with the participation and contribution of children to realise their full potential and improve the life of future generations.

Plan UK is one of sixteen national organisations: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Together we raise funds for development programmes in 45 of the world's poorest countries.