About us

Toybox vision and mission

Toybox is a Christian charity committed to helping street living and street working children and those at risk of becoming so, principally in Latin America.

Our vision is of a world where there are no street children, where families are restored, those who are disadvantaged have choices and hope and all children have a voice.

Our mission is to bring lasting and positive change to the lives of street children, street working children and those at risk of becoming so, through front line work, prevention and advocacy, being a facilitator and enabler, galvanising people and resources in the UK, Latin America and worldwide.

Our values - we aim to be:

• Focused: On street children, their families in urban communities, concentrating on those who have the least, who are seen as inconsequential, and often overlooked and ignored. We aim to tangibly improve their quality of life by meeting their material, physical, social, educational, emotional and spiritual needs.
• Empowering: We meet children at their point of need and help them into a safe environment where they have opportunities and hope for the future. Helping to create a space in which they can develop, express themselves and become all that God intended them to be.
• Committed: To sustainable, effective, long-term solutions. We encourage and support communities through a range of projects, helping them on their journey to self-reliance in meeting the needs of their children.
• Relational: By acting globally we aim to connect people and build effective transforming relationships. We seek to be real and accessible to those we support and to demonstrate a spirit of genuine Christian love.
• Vibrant: Life-enhancing, energizing, dynamic, colourful, innovative and seeking to reach full potential – both our own and that of the children and families we seek to help.

Faith basis for our work:

Founded in 1992, Toybox has always identified itself as a Christian organisation, but what does this mean in practice? Essentially it means that the motivation for our work with street children is the direct result of the teachings and example of Jesus as recorded in the Bible.  
We believe in one God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - who is: 

• Compassionate –with a particular focus on children and those living in poverty   
• Loving – welcoming of all 
• Forgiving – through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus we are given a perfect example of forgiveness 
• Just – seeking what is right and fair 
• Courageous – unafraid to push for change

Our Christian belief inspires and motivates us to engage with everyone, both with those who have a faith and with those who have none, and irrespective of race, culture, gender, age or social position. 

Toybox is a member of the Evangelical Alliance.

Our key operating principles are:

• Ensuring the primary impact of our work is on the lives of street living, street working children, and those in danger of becoming so.
• Supporting and enabling people and organisations from within a country to develop and sustain effective long term work with street living and street working children.
• Engaging with and helping local partnership projects aimed at reducing the numbers of children coming onto the streets.
• Working in the UK and overseas to raise awareness of the plight of street children, street working children and those in danger of becoming so, through telling their story, speaking up on their behalf and providing them with a platform to speak for themselves.
• Ensuring people and relationships are at the heart of what we are and what we do both inside and outside of the UK.
• A commitment to helping all street living and working children and their families irrespective of origin, race, gender faith or status.
• Encouraging local accountability by building the capability and capacity of our partners and working towards independence.
• To be open and honest in all our activities, to honour commitments made, reflect our Christian Ethos as set out in our Christian Ethos Statement and underpin the work with prayer.
• To Uphold the human rights of children as laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)