Plan International Denmark and BØRNEfonden to merge

4 DECEMBER 2017

Plan International Denmark and Danish children and youth development organisation BØRNEfonden are to merge, in a move designed to deliver greater impact for vulnerable children and youth in West Africa.

By combining forces, the organisations believe they can do more to champion child rights, equality between girls and boys and the development of strong, resilient communities for the most marginalised children and youth in the poorest countries of the world.

“This is an incredibly exciting and innovative opportunity to build on the best of both organisations, with their complementary and distinctive strengths and capabilities,” said Christine Bosse, chairman of BØRNEfonden and Allan Fenger, chairman of Plan International Denmark, in a joint statement.

“Together, we can do more where the need is greatest, giving children a voice, particularly girls and changing lives and social norms for the better. We are local and we are global. We are stronger together.”

Stronger together

Plan International Denmark is part of Plan International, which is one of the world’s largest development and humanitarian organisations advancing children’s rights and equality for girls, with an annual turnover in excess of €850million. It is active in 73 countries.

Together we will be the biggest voice of children and youth in these countries and we intend to make a greater difference.

BØRNEfonden is a Danish development organisation supporting children, youth and their families and communities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Togo, focusing on children’s health and education, as well as employability, entrepreneurship and empowerment of youth. Every year BØRNEfonden benefits three million people, enabling them to build a better future.

By joining together, the organisations believe they can drive real change for children in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era. For the first time in history, the SDGs provide the world with an opportunity to end extreme poverty in a generation, by realising the rights of all children and releasing the potential of girls.

Combined resources and expertise

Bosse said “It has been a part of BØRNEfonden’s strategy to identify a partnership that could empower our strategic goals and give leverage to our impact. By combining our resources and expertise we can achieve greater effects locally in Africa. The need for this has never been clearer. It is not a question of making declarations of intent, but of taking action.

“Together we will be the biggest voice of children and youth in these countries and we intend to make a greater difference. We owe that to the children and to our loyal sponsors and donors who fund change in the lives of children and youth.”

The new organisation, Plan BØRNEfonden, will become part of the Plan International family, making it the largest privately funded development organisation in Denmark, with more than 70,000 children sponsored.

“Our joined work globally will produce strong results, and will have a major influence on the lives of children, especially girls, in the years to come.” said Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, CEO of Plan International.

Editor’s notes:

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.

BØRNEfonden has worked for over 45 years in some of the world’s poorest countries and today is among Denmark’s largest privately funded development organisations. 

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