Origin and background
Thijs van Harte (who’s mother is originating from Indonesia) and his wife Karin Leithuijser are supporting Indonesian education programmes since the half of the nineties.
After the birth of their youngest daughter Tari, who is born with Down Syndrome, they came in touch with the Dutch facilities and the education for children with a mental disability. They were very enthusiastic about this.
During their travelling to Bali, which they performed with their friends Ronald van den Heuvel, Marijke Lingsma and Rien Gruter, they investigated the possibilities for these children in developing countries. Although there are schools for children with a mental disability, the standard for education and professionalism in Bali is less developed than in Western countries. Therefore, the common dream and vision raised to contribute to this development and thereby the purpose of the foundation became clear:
‘The development and enlargement of the learning capacities, communication, capabilities and independence of children with a mental disability. With the usage of several play- and learning materials and methods. And the support of the schools and employees in the practice of this goal’.
Further contribution to the vision and the establishment of the foundation is the death of Thijs’ twin brother Jaques (pet name Sjaki) van Harte, in September 2002. In the previous period Thijs, Marijke and Jaques talked about the support of children in Indonesia, but this could not be established before his death. The name of the foundation Sjaki-Tari-Us means the following:
To support beautiful children like Tari in their development and prosperity and bringing this to action with Us all, in loving memory of Sjaki.
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