Frequently Asked Questions
What is a social enterprise or a social business?
Social entrepreneurship is working with a social mission. ICS is the owner of three social enterprises: Agrics, Alizetics and Geodatics, all registered as private companies. In the first place, our social enterprises strive to obtain a positive impact on the lives of farming families living in poverty. We help farmers to enhance their harvest in order for them to realize food security and a stable income. Also being profitable is part of our objectives. By generating income, the enterprise will at some point be able to sustain itself. Through our profitability, we will be able to enlarge impact and serve more farmers. The business model makes us less dependable on donations and subsidies and therefore serves the indispensable purpose of ensuring sustainability.
What is ICS short for?
ICS was set up in 1980 and has changed its focus over the course of the years. First, focus was on offering emergency aid, thereafter this shifted to providing aid to children and currently, the farming family and their children are at the heart of ICS’s focus. Far back in the past, ICS was short for Internationaal Christelijk Steunfonds, later this was changed to International Child Support and lastly to Investing in Children and their Societies. Since 2015, ICS uses the abbreviation as a given, without attributing it specific meaning. In the first place, we stand for development. It is for that reason that our subtitle now reads: ICS, Driver of Development.
In which countries is ICS working?
Until 2015, ICS was working in Kenya, Tanzania and Cambodia. At the start of 2016, due to a loss of structural government subsidies ICS was receiving, ICS was forced to make budget cuts and unfortunately had to transfer its projects in Cambodia to different organizations. Luckily we were able to transfer most running projects to partner organizations or help them make a jumpstart as local organization, enabling the initiated development to further unfold. From 2016 on, ICS has been fully concentrated on East-Africa.
Is ICS (still) actively Christian?
ICS finds her origins in the Christian faith, but currently operates separate from religion. We invest in the economic and social development of farming families in rural areas, regardless of which faith one adheres to.
Is ICS structurally subsidized?
Until 2015, ICS was receiving subsidy from the Dutch government, the so called MFSII. At the beginning of 2016, this subsidy terminated and ICS will not be eligible for subsidy within the new system. Luckily, many foundations, funds and service clubs still support ICS. On our partner list you will find all our cooperation partners arranged according to theme.