About

We are a New Zealand-based organisation devoted to the care and protection of children and their families in multiple locations around the world. Here, you can find out more about our vision, mission, and values, and the people working behind the scenes in New Zealand.

HomeAbout

our Vision

Every child in the world will belong to a home, family and community where they are safe and loved, go to school, have a good diet and health care, and know that God loves them.

Our Mission

Children everywhere will enjoy their God-given right to belong to a family where they know they are precious, safe and loved. Families, especially poor and broken families, will be surrounded by a network of love which will empower them to develop strong and nurturing relationships with their children. Wherever possible, children will grow with their own immediate or wider family where there is a commitment to their nurture, security and wellbeing.

Our Values

Integrity
We adhere at all times to Christian moral and ethical principles.

Respect
We respect the personal qualities and abilities of all people we encounter.

Prayerfulness
We pray for children, their guardians, and their communities, and for all who work with them.

Honesty
We act with honesty and fairness.

Transparency
We strive to be transparent in all of our communications and actions.

Sensitivity
We are aware of, and responsive to, the feelings and cultural practices of others.

Quality
We seek at all times to offer a service of high standard.

Training

We provide training in life skills, social work, and the care and protection of children. This happens in local communities, for our partners and volunteers.

 

  • Children directly Supported

  • 13,390 Family/Home visits 3414

Empowerment

We help enable community initiatives which generate surpluses, such as cropping, carpentry, and farming, which in turn help to enable new families to do the same. This multiplies the return over time.

 

  • Training Programmes provided 66

  • Mentoring communications 220

Social Work Care

We provide social work support, health care clinics, tuition centers, and schools, which help to protect, educate, and nurture vulnerable children.

 

  • Medical Clinics 17

  • Adults directly – 4300

Our history
The Open Home Foundation was established in New Zealand in 1977 by Ewen and Gillian Laurenson. Whilst running a Family Home and caring for at-risk teenagers, they read a book called “Love is an Open Door”, written by Bill Bair. The central concept of the book is the model of the Christian community across all denominations opening their homes and hearts to care for children and young people in need.

Ewen and Gillian, supported by others, embraced this concept and began to develop it from their own home in Johnsonville, Wellington. A network of Christian Foster Homes quickly developed, which accepted referrals from community and government agencies. The organisation was registered as an Incorporated Charitable Trust with the name of ‘Open Home Foundation New Zealand’. 1986, the Open Home Foundation became a national organisation.

In 1991, people from Manipur in Northeast India requested OHF New Zealand’s (OHFNZ) assistance with the care of impoverished children. It was at this point that seeds of Open Home Foundation International (OHFI) were sown. By 2000, requests for help were coming to Open Home Foundation New Zealand from many countries. This led to the development of Open Home Foundation International, with its own trust deed and charitable status, but with its roots still in Open Home Foundation New Zealand.

Since then, the work of OHFI has continue, and expanded. It now has partners and projects in India, Mexico, Mozambique, Romania, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. Ewen remains on the Board and along with Gillian continues to be actively involved in OHFI,i providing guidance and support. The central goal of all OHFI’s work continues to be the empowerment of communities to look after their most vulnerable children.

Chairperson

Grant
Brenton

Executive Director

Deirdre
O’Sullivan

Trustee

Mark
Bromley

Trustee

Ewen
Laurenson

Trustee

Chris
Olsen

Patrons

Sir David &
Lady Catherine
Carruthers

Trustee

Andrew
Dunn

Treasurer

Bill
Jorgenson