Child Welfare Scheme

Our mission
CWS provides education, healthcare and social opportunities for disadvantaged children in Nepal.

In brief
CWS is a HK registered charity dedicated to raising funds and providing expertise to our partners in Nepal. Our projects are monitored by our dedicated team in Nepal who works with local, grassroots NGOs to provide education, health care and social opportunities to children and their communities. Please visit our project page to learn more about what we do in Nepal.

CWS started working in Nepal in 1995 and was registered there in 1997. The Hong Kong office was registered in 2003.

Why we do it
We, here in Hong Kong at least have the comfort of a society at peace with itself. We have clean water, free education, and a welfare system that at least ensures that no one dies of hunger. Imagine ourselves in a country where there is civil disorder, where there is little education, where there is a constant threat of terrorism, civil disruption and a lack of clean water. It is to the children of these countries, especially Nepal, that CWS is dedicating its efforts.

I was 28 when I left the Netherlands and had a life-changing experience in the mountains of Nepal. A distraught mother, desperate for help, handed me her sick baby girl who was just one year old. The girl died in my arms. That was the moment that changed my life, and Child Welfare Scheme began.

I was determined to help, and asked the villagers what they needed most. They needed a safe place for children to play while they worked in the field and access to free, basic health care. Together we developed the concept of Day Care Health Centres in the villages, and built the first two centres with my own savings. The charity ‘Child Welfare Scheme’ was officially established in 1997, and has continued to develop projects based on empowering communities and implementing projects at a local level.

Every year just gets more exciting as we expand and improve on the year before. Today, we are one of the most effective organizations in Nepal, using a minimal amount of resources to reach a maximum number of children with high quality programmes and projects which are now highly recognized. Saving a child’s life can often cost next to nothing, especially when you think how lavishly we sometimes spend on a typical Friday night out.

I love my work as it’s very honest and to the point, but moreover, a great thing to share with others and to get them involved. We are not a high profile organization, but we are making a high profile difference to thousands of children and young people each year by changing or saving their lives.

Douglas Maclagan, Founder
Douglas was the founding chairman of Child Welfare Scheme in 1997. Since then, he has raised well over 1 million pounds to create one of the most effective children’s charities in Nepal. He has established a network of CWS organizations (Nepal, United Kingdom, Hong Kong), which continues to grow and gain respect worldwide for its novel development achievements. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Child Welfare and Development, Douglas was awarded the Gusi Peace Prize in 2004 and the Unsung Heroes Award in 2008. He was educated in England and The Netherlands and holds a degree in English and has two certificates in youth counseling and child psychology. He speaks 4 languages fluently of which one is Nepali. Today, he lives in Nepal where he continues to fight for the rights of disadvantaged children.

Gordon Oldham, Chairman
Gordon is difficult to sum up but we’re going to give it a try. He is first and foremost an explorer; he is enthusiastic about new ventures and is never one to turn down an expedition. Gordon thrives off adrenalin and cannot sit still. He collects experiences and memories everywhere he goes and dedicates his time to his wife, son and grandchildren as well as his hotels and legal career. Despite all this, Gordon devotes much of himself to CWS. Over the years, he has run marathons across various terrains such as the Gobi Desert, the Sahara Desert and the Atacama Desert to raise funds for children in Nepal.

Sandra d’Auriol, Director
Sandra has lived in Hong Kong since 1983. She is British, 4th generation born in India, and grew up between Singapore and Ibiza. Every season, she creates one-of-a-kind jewelry which is exhibited in various cities such as London, Paris, New York, Milan, and others. All profits from her business is donated to a range of children’s, women’s and environmental causes. She has been involved with CWS since 1999 and despite being a wonderful and busy mother, wife and friend, she always has plenty of time to help anyone in need.

Marie France Van Damme, Director
Marie France was born in Montreal, Canada and grew up between the United States and Europe. She established a garment textile business in New York and in Hong Kong, and moved to Hong Kong in 1984.
M-F was involved from childhood with the ''World Federation of Hemophilia'', which her parents founded, and was also committed to several organisations for ''Aids'' in New York in the early 80's. She has been involved with CWS since 2004.

Zein Williams
Zein was born in Jordan and her family moved to HK in 1984. Having received a mixture of Chinese and Western education in HK and having travelled extensively in Asia and the Middle East with her family throughout the 80s and 90s, Zein developed an interest in the economics, sociology and the history of Development and a passion for helping those less fortunate. Having received her BA in Sociology and Development Studies at the University of Sussex in the UK in 2001, Zein then returned to HK to pursue a career in the NGO field. She was determined to find an organisation that was cost effective, personal, transparent and sustainable – all this led her to CWS.

Prior to joining CWS in April 2003 Zein volunteered at a number of NGOs in Asia.

Sharon Poon
Having spent half her life in Hong Kong and half in Canada, Sharon came to Hong Kong shortly after she received her Bachelor degree in Business and Psychology from Simon Fraser University in 2007. Her passion for sustainable development was sparked after spending some time in Costa Rica and China. She joined CWS in January 2008.

And all of you who have made our work possible. Thank you!

Since our inception in Hong Kong, we have been working closely with a charity in London called CWS UK. Together we fund the team in Nepal and share some of the same projects. This allows us to save costs, share resources and reach out to more children.