In December 2004, a tsunami tore through coastal Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Dr. Tim Friesen, a child psychologist and play-based therapy specialist already working in the region, walked into the devastated communities in the days that followed. The children around him were carrying trauma that none of the adults or community leaders had been equipped to recognize or respond to.

As someone who had dedicated his career to understanding how children heal, Tim couldn't walk away from that. That gap became the foundation for the vision and mission of Twelve12:Hope, aimed at bringing hope to those who suffer. The name of the organization is derived from the Apostle Paul’s words: “Be joyful in hope, patient in suffering, and persevering in prayer” (Romans 12:12). Without hope, we become aimless and vulnerable to despair and hopelessness. 

Twelve12:Hope began in 2010 as a non-profit corporation in the state of Michigan USA, and was officially recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS on December 5, 2011.

Our Vision is for a world in which every traumatized child is healed and has hope for the future.

Our Mission is to equip community leaders to offer healing and hope to traumatized children wherever they are found around the globe.

Our Work is accomplished primarily through our signature project, Jacaranda Communities of Hope, in which we develop local, sustainable partnerships that adhere to the following core values:

  1. Compassion for children living in locations where there is a natural disaster or presence of chronic, complex trauma;

  2. Culturally adaptive approach that considers local values and traditions;

  3. Sustainability within communities, built by local host organizations;

  4. Collaborative in building partnerships with organizations that focus on prevention and intervention with vulnerable children;

  5. Child-centered interventions including storytelling, emotional regulation and individualized “child-directed healing play”;

  6. Trauma-informed training given to local workers who receive specialized coaching and practical, hands-on learning that they can pass on within their communities;

  7. Multiplication strategy represented by equipping, coaching and supporting workers to train and equip others; and

  8. Research-based interventions.

Our Team is made up of independent contractors from around the globe (USA, Africa, Sri Lanka and UK) who direct programs, deliver training, carry out research, supervise trainees and manage our communication and administration. We are led by a wonderful Board of Directors (based in Michigan), and funded through grants, foundations, and charitable donations from organizations and individuals around the world.

The mission of Twelve12:Hope and Jacaranda not only impacts the children who are recipients of the program, but also the adults who become trauma informed in helping others. Programs are launched in geographical locations where there is an invitation from a local host, who recognizes the need for a trauma program for children in the local community.

We’d love to hear from you if you are interested in hosting a Twelve12:Hope Jacaranda Program in your community.  See our Get Involved page to learn more about this.

To make a financial contribution, visit our Donate page.