Welcome to the International Humanity Foundation!
Half of IHF's mission is to educate the poor and the other half is to educate the world about the poor. Our vision is to strive for a world of leaders and citizens who have interacted with, and are truly knowledgeable about the world's poor. We believe in a "pass it on" philosophy where education is free and available for all who seek it. Those of us who have received a free education pass it on by helping others less fortunate by teaching, interacting and learning. With just a few hours a week, our volunteers, children and sponsors are changing the world we live in.
International Humanity Foundation is a non-religious, non-political, non-profit organization that strongly believes in an equal opportunity for all and in preserving the cultures, traditions and beliefs of the marginalized communities it works in.
International Humanity Foundation background and history
International Humanity Foundation is a unique organization. IHF believes in absolute transparency and functions almost entirely through the efforts of its hundred plus unpaid volunteers from all over the world, who give their time, skills, energy and love to help our family in Kenya, Thailand and Indonesia.
IHF has grown over the past 25 years under the visionary leadership of Carol Sasaki, CEO and the dedication of thousands of volunteers from around the world. IHF is a non-religious, non-political, non-profit organization that strongly believes in an equal opportunity for all and in preserving the cultures, traditions and beliefs of the marginalized communities it works in.
International Humanity Foundation is distinct from other NGO’s in this field as we practice the ‘Pass it on’ ethos in marginalized regions. We offer the privilege of education to those who without our organization could not reach it. IHF has no central headquarters, as each center is a product of its environment and follows the cultural code and norms of its host country. IHF volunteers teach English, computer and math classes as well as maintaining relationships with local staff and the local population at every centre.
International Humanity Foundation has offices in Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand and a small part time volunteer office in San Diego, California, in the United States. But our true workplace is online and all over the world, consisting of people like you who are interested in learning more about this world's many varied cultures.
This structure means many of IHF's volunteers never meet each other except by email. Some of them may choose to visit one of the orphanages or education centers or offices. Either way, they help to improve the lives of thousands of children.
International Humanity Foundation is a training ground for anyone wanting to learn leadership skills in reducing poverty and abuse. We believe the best teacher is honestly shared experience. We do not limit ourselves to accepting only experienced volunteers.
IHF has been run for years only by Carol and locals around the centers who learn through trial and error. In the last few years, volunteers worldwide have also joined in and gained knowledge through personal experience.
So expect to encounter mistakes. We do.
Learning from them is an integral part of our mission:
"IHF strives to educate the poor and to teach the educated about the poor; for a world of more enlightened and experienced "everyday people" - leaders working to reduce poverty and abuse."
We hope that you are excited to join our organization. We look forward to working with you.
International Humanity Foundation Programs
International Humanity Foundations' programs are designed to fulfill our mission of both educating the poor and educating the educated about the poor. For example, many people do not realize that public education is not free in countries such as Kenya, Thailand, and Indonesia and that therefore most of the poor are unable to afford to send their children to school.
International Humanity Foundation Locations
International Humanity Foundation has three locations in Indonesia, one in Kenya, and one in Thailand.
We established the centers in Kenya because we wanted to work in a country where famine existed but that was also relatively safe for our volunteers to work in, so they could visit famine stricken areas to personally see what the effects of hunger on society are, to learn what the signs of malnutrition are, and to help those who face malnutrition.
The Thailand location in Chiang Rai was established as a preventative measure against the trafficking of children as sex slaves, which has been a major problem in the region since the Vietnam War. According to the UN, human trafficking is the third largest portion of the black market in developing nations after the trade of illegal arms and narcotics and this fact is unfortunately prevalent in Thailand, a country where sexual slavery has started incorporating into the tourism industry.
Indonesia has IHF centers in Jakarta, Bali, Aceh, and Medan. These centers primarily focus on educating children through the TEP and Class Sponsorship programs with some centers teaching over 400 students. The centers provide an informal place for children from lower economic classes to work with volunteers, which teaches the children to feel comfortable with people from different backgrounds at a young age.
