This place is full of hope, goodwill, compassion and idealism! We have been helping the last 2 days with building and painting things at the center - it looks promising already, we're sure it will be a fantastic place for the kids when its done. We got Andakidz recommended by a friend, and comming here without knowing much about it was really a nice and welcoming experience! Robin and Birgit (and their lovely kids) has really been sweet and helpfull and the local people of the town are really accomodating! This is for sure a nice place to spend some days, because you easily blend in and go with the flow!
Love from Mathilda & Jacob
Im just speechless. No one can imagine the good feeling when u meet so nice families, work and future goals. Providence make us meet this proyect and...we are so.happy to be able to give them some of our time and effort. Beach? Swimm? Drink beers on a bar? Yes, but after spending a week with this wonderfull proyect i feel those things useless and nonsense. This is the one of the best thing anyone can do while visiting Phillipines.
I knew Robin (the project 'driver') as a business partner, and I'm not surprised to see Andakids succeeding. With his energy and imagination behind it, it's an initiative that is going to work! Instead of paying for Christmas cards, I send that money - and try to get everyone on my Christmas letter list to do the same.
Birgit and Robin with Andakiz are doing great job in Anda. We spent great time with them this year and will go back again in 2015. It is great opportnity to enjoy vacation and do some volunteer work at the same time.
I would recommend Andakiz to anyone, who is interested in helping children and families in need.
I came to know about AndaKidz from the director of the foundation, Robin, at a conference. I found the projects worthwhile so without hesitations, I decided to help out & considered it my next destination. By the time of this writing, 4 days from now, I've stayed here for one month already as a volunteer and is planning to stay as long as time allows me to. It has been a great experience & a pleasure to be here helping out the foundation's endeavors & sharing the experiences with fellow volunteers & locals of Anda. I might still stay longer than expected since Andakidz is worth spending your time, efforts, money, talents/skills,etc. Some of my friends from other places are also reaching out when I shared to them about AndaKidz. We hope that there will be more help coming in & they will definitely go a long way. Helping out AndaKidz Is not just a unique holiday experience for me but is also a life changing one.
Meet with Robin today of ANDAKIDZ and had a great conversation about the organization he and his wife set up for helping the people of Anda, particularly the children. Hospitable and knowledgeable. Has a big heart and passion for helping those less fortunate! Thank you for choosing Anda!! The people of this town appreciate all that you are doing!!! We look forward to the exciting things you will be doing !! Keep it up!!!
Robin does some very valuable things to help the community of Anda. Long term help with the bottles of light that bring light into the dark houses during the day. And by building a new community centre. But Andakidz also just put a smile on kids faces by organizing fun activities which I luckily became part of one day. Keep up the good work the people of Anda deserve it!!
I came to know first about ANDAKIDZ from my parents, who founded TAFIAS, a local partner of ANDAKIDZ. We appreciate the effort of Mr. Robin and family, the volunteers for helping the ANDAKIDZ, and to the Andahanon community for giving them the hope of living a better life. I am all the way of supporting ANDAKIDZ vision and mission.
I am already making a move on collecting goods and raising money for the benefits of the organization.
I came to know about Robin's & ANDAKIDZ' work few months back. We connected through the common cause we have been actively working in different countries - Liter of Light and it gives me great pleasure to say ANDAKIDZ is really going miles to make the difference. I and my organisation Liter of Light Bangalore, support the organisation in spirit wholeheartedly. Thankyou for the amazing work you guys do!
I had a plan to find a place to join a voluteer work with turtles somewhere. My friends introduced me to Andakidz - they had good contacts for me. I listened about their doings with Anda familys and their fantastic projects. My company Henkel & Schwartzkopf gives opportunity to support this kind of doings in the world - I felt I like to help Andakidz at first. We will be very proud and happy if Playcenter with library for Anda children will be ready in February 2015. Culture comes!!
I was certain that I will travel with my little daughter and want to do some volunteer work so my options were limited because a full day work was out of option. Then I found Andakidz and it was a match made in heaven :) I ended up to teach some Estonian folk dance and some Bollywood dance to the local girls and we made some nice ribbons for accessories in Estonian and Philippines flag colors. We made a small village party with ice-cream for everyone to show the parents what the girls had been learning :) I also went to the mountain villages with a solar engineer to make pictures of the installed solar light bottles to document the project. It was the perfect way for me to do some responsible tourism. Birgit and Robin were very welcoming :)
When I booked my trip to Phillipines, I started looking for a way to do some volunteer work for the sake of local people. Our paths crossed with fellow Estonian Birgit from Andakidz and I ended up making solar lights in Anda, Bohol. I had a chance to see and be part of entire process, from preparing the materials for solar lights to installing the lights at a remote mountain village. Working together with locals guys was fun and interesting. Robin and Birgit put a great effort to make me feel welcome, have a priceless experience and enjoy my time in Bohol.
Seeing what Robin and Birgit have done already for people in Anda and hearing what plans they have for future made me realize they are doing very grateful job. They really make a difference.
I would definitely recommend Andakidz to anyone, who wants to help families in need and bring smiles to kids faces.
When I was planning my trip to the Philippines I saw this opportunity to volunteer in Bohol with Andakidz and decided to go. I spent there 10 days in February 2014. It was my first time as a volunteer and working there was a great mix of work and vacation. Volunteering with Andakidz gives you a chance to see how the locals live. During my time with at Andakidz I helped make solarlights, which was really interesting. I also went to the mountains to photograph solar bottle installations and helped build a new production centre for a Fishermen’s Association called TAFIAS. Robin and Birgit are doing really good job with Andakidz and volunteering there was one of the highlights of my three months of traveling.
I am a student at Tallinn University of Technology and I have worked with Andakidz due to a charity project we (students) carried out at the university. It was very pleasant to work with Birgit and Robin from Andakidz. They are dedicated to improving people's lives in Anda and are passionate about what they are doing. The communication with them was very good due to their kindness and helpfulness in every situation. Andakidz was very open about what they are doing, how and who they are exactly helping. It is more than sure that Andakidz is really improving lives in Anda and they are complitely selfless in their actions. We are also very happy and amazed that such people (Birgit and Robin) and organizations exist and hope the best for them and the people in Anda. We encourage everyone to help Andakidz in their mission!
As President of the Bohol Local Development Foundation (BLDF), I encourage local governments, donors, academic institutions and other civil society groups to support what AndaKidz is doing in Anda, Bohol. Their efforts to target specific households in specific communities with child-focused assistance are exactly what we need at this time in Bohol and in other provinces. Policies, plans and programs have their uses in development work, but the challenge is how to reach children and disadvantaged households with relevant services. AndaKidz has taken initial steps to take on this challenge. We wish it success for the welfare of children, their families and local communities.
I first heard about Andakidz from Robin when he spoke in a seminar I attended. I expected them to be a whole organization but I was really impressed to know that he and his wife were the ones spearheading this. Many volunteers go in and out to help them not only because of their initiative but also because of how kind Robin and his family are towards the volunteers and the people. It was this dedication that made me want to help out. (Me and my partner made t-shirt designs for the children and helped Robin get them printed out) Hearing from him that the children loved the shirts, my heart swelled. Selfless dedication and commitment to these children is what Andakidz is all about. For anyone who wants to help children and families in need, Andakidz is the best place to be in.
I was looking for possibilities contributing to a charity or a cause so the information from Birgit about Andakidz project came at the right time for me. I am sure that this kind of commitment of Birgit and Robin makes a real difference on the ground and really reaches those in need. I really appreciated receiving the feedback about the family whom my donation I could help. Like other reviewers before me, I also would recommend Andakidz to anyone, who is interested in helping children and families in need. Like my friend Kadi said here - this initiative is a very good example how with little money one can make a big difference!
Hene,
Geneva, Switzerland
This initiative is an example how with little recourse one can make a change in many lives. One can be sure, that the donation really reaches those in need. I really appreciated receiving more info about persons whom I could help.
I would recommend Andakiz to anyone, who is interested in helping children and families in need.
Birgit and Robin with Andakiz are doing a very grateful job in Anda, Bohol. I am sure, that their work and commitment makes a real difference on the ground. One can be sure, that the donation really reaches those in need. I really appreciated receiving the photo of the family whom I could help.
I would recommend Andakiz to anyone, who is interested in helping children and families in need.
This initiative is a very good example how with little money one can make a big difference!
Kadi
Estonia
I have no hesitation to recommend Andakidz for their special work in Anda, Bohol. With Andakidz, you can be sure that 100% of your donations are received by those who need it most i.e. the children of Anda and their families. So often in the Philippines, and elsewhere, funds go astray and there is no guarantee that all you send is actually received by those who really need it the most.
Simon Baily-Gibson
Retiree at the Asian Development Bank
British Community Volunteer Warden
It was great to learn about the work Andakidz does on a daily basis, such value work that really makes a difference to children's lives. We worked with Andakidz to create some graphical elements to spread the message of Andakidz in a visual form. Best wishes and keep up the great work guys!
It was nice nice to work with Andakidz, we had some miss understandings at the begining but in the end all came out lovely. Most important is that people share the thoughts and talk out everything and that was exactly how our work was...
I wish all the best to Andakidz and what your MTÜ is doing, is just wonderful.
Thank You for caring.
Carmen
I am the executive director of Bagong Kulturang Pinoy, Inc. (BKP). Andakidz applied to us for donated books for day care centers and a library in Anda, Bohol. I corresponded with Robin Gurney, the director. He was very professional and prompt in submitted required documentation and forms. In addition, he assisted the day care centers and library with their applications, and arranged for representatives from them to attend training that BKP is conducting in the area.
I've donated a bit and will definitely donate again: they have a much more hands-on-direct-help approach and majority of money is not spent on the administration of the organization, as is the case with most international charities.
I have no hesitation in my donation to Andakidz. I know the money will go directly to their projects for the kids. I hope that they will continue supporting the community. Kudos to robin and his team! ;)
I had the most wonderful experience with Andakidz. Supporting Philippine communities is a pleasure and joy with them. They are trying to match the causes, which the supporters are keen to support, with the needs of local communities. Every time I placed a donation I saw a photo of some local people who were happily holding a new rice cooker/ kitchen utensils/ etc and an explanation what was my contribution in it. It was incredibly inspiring to see the actual impact of something you have offered.
Andakidz is very transparent and trustful. Donating with them I don't have any doubts that my donation will reach the end recipient (which is very important and rather uncertain with other charities). I'd like to become their constant supporter and I have recommended them to my friends, willing to support social causes. They take no administration fees, which means 100% of the pledge goes to its intended recipient and they are incredibly attentive at listening to what it is that you really want to support.
First of all, helping children is one of the most appreciated causes of all as it supports the development of new people on the planet who still have a choice to turn good or bad, to put it in a very simplified way. But there are many charities who support children. Why I like Andakidz is that the support of the charity and donors is immediate. There are no administrative layers and bureaucracy, all the help of volunteers and donors will directly impact the life of the people who need it. The second important aspect is the prompt feedback that Andakidz provides to all the donors. At their Facebook page you can observe almost in real time, whom and how have you managed to help with your funds. It is great to see real people benefitting from your support although for most of the donors this is no vanity affair. Nevertheless, seeing the huge impact that even smallest contributions can make, is a great empowerment for a donor. Third, Andakidz does not collect any administration fees so all the support goes directly to improve the lives of people. I strongly believe Andakidz is a benchmark also to larger charities in terms of how they handle their operations.
