About us
The story
The story behind Toe to Heart
In 2004 we started with a project that can be copied by anyone. You don’t have to be exceptional to do this. The hope we have is not on the 5 percent exceptional people who can do exceptional things but on the 95 percent normal people who can do normal things. Who can just give a bit of material and/or immaterial help, a bit of Toe and/or a bit of Heart. Everyone, even the exceptional among us, are able to do that.
The story starts when...
Thomas van Berckel, a Dutchman, in August 2003 breaks the toenail of his big toe at Mahatma Gandhi Road in Bangalore. He goes to a small hospital and likes the nurse, Lalitha, who takes care of his toe. They stayed in touch and six months later, in February 2004 they married. Six months later, on 8 August, they founded Toe to Heart Trust Bangalore India. Toe to Heart has, with the help of many volunteers and donors, helped dozens of children to graduate up to PU2 levels with providing Toe (Small Material Help) and Heart (Small Immaterial help).
The information and pictures on this page will be extended at the end of January 2025 when Anno Huidekoper, a professional photographer, will come to Bangalore to make new pictures of the children/ young adults. In the past we have been helped by more good photographers like Wim Corbijn.
Motto, Methods and Mission
Our Motto is:
“Protecting our children and giving them the opportunity to grow. Positive attention (Heart) and a little material help (Toe) is sufficient. They prefer to do the rest themselves.“
Our 3 ways to change lives
Education and personal growth
Everyone can help! You too!
Reciprocity
The social problem that Toe to Heart focuses on is:
There is a large gap between the rich and the poor for various reasons. The main way out of the “poverty trap” is through education. Every child, especially girls (who yield the most significant results) that receives help can contribute to reducing poverty, not only for themselves but also for future generations.
The Toe to Heart solution is:
The “Toe to Heart” concept is to provide small material and immaterial educational and personal help to children through reciprocal relationships and by rooting the project into the local community with local donors and volunteers.
Our Mission Is:
The mission is, the Toe to Heart concept to grow further in India and apply it in multiple cultures and countries. In this way we like to contribute to closing the gap between the rich and poor. We wish to further explore international opportunities to either work together with existing initiatives in other countries or expand into other countries and cultures.