History

Since 2022, the foundation name has changed from Kika (children's camps) to Kizoka (Children's Summer Camps).

In 1959, 66 years ago this year, our country was still under construction. Because of the Second World War, the country was not yet fully grown economically and many people had no money to go on holiday. In Eindhoven we had Philips and that was a company with a big social heart. At the time, Philips ensured that playgrounds were built in almost all districts of Eindhoven. These playgrounds were socially very important in the neighborhoods of Eindhoven. Especially during the school holidays they were overcrowded with children playing.
Because during the long summer holidays the playground associations wanted to do something extra for the children whose parents had no money to go on holiday, they joined forces. During one of these meetings, KiKa (Children's Camps) was founded.

The very first camps were organized on a camp site in Maarheeze. After that, the site moved to the woods near Sterksel, where KiKa had been given its own site by Philips, exactly as she wished it to be. Even a swimming pool was present in the woods. In that period, 8 camps of 6 days were organized during the summer holidays. The site was not empty for a day at that time. When the buses with the new children arrived at the camp site, the luggage was unloaded and the children who had already been to camp went back to Eindhoven with the same buses.

KiKa was still supported by Philips. In the first years in Sterksel, even the hot food came from the Philips company kitchen and there was hot food at noon. Later, a fully equipped kitchen tent was added, so that the camps could cook themselves.

In 1979 KiKa became an independent foundation. And because of the booming economy, the camps were no longer for the youth of the Philips playground association. All children from Eindhoven and Veldhoven from groups 3 to 8 of the primary school were allowed to join.

Due to a change in the zoning plan, KiKa had to leave the beloved camp site in Sterksel. We moved to Bergeijk, to the Weebosch, where some of you probably experienced KiKa yourself. We had to leave there after 20 years. We searched diligently for a new site, which was found near the Brabant village of Bakel, where we have been guests every summer holiday since 2008.

After 10 years in Bakel, we started looking for a new camp site for the following years. We have found a beautiful location in the woods near the "Oud Meer" a stone's throw from the "Joe Mann Pavilion". We set up our tents there for 6 years on the grounds of the scouting group “Dutmella”. This scouting group has a beautiful home there with many facilities. We were always able to use this during the 6 weeks of the summer holidays.

We will return to Bakel in 2024. Then we will set up our tents for 6 weeks on the grounds of the D'n Boschkant camping farm

After 66 years, KiZoKa's primary goal has still remained the same, and it will always remain so. Our goal is to offer children from groups 3 to 8 of primary school, with the help of all volunteers, an unforgettable and fully catered holiday week. And all this for a price so affordable that it makes it possible for every child to go to camp with us.