|  | 2002 - In 2002 Evelien Kremer,Marisa Martienus en Mariska Versteegh met each other in Ecuador while doing volunteering work. They all stayed in Hostal Loro Verde in the tourist area La Mariscal in Quito. They worked in several children's daycare centres like Centro Myra, Jesus Nino and San Roque. They were struck by the lack of help for single and teenage mothers who were living in the streets. These mothers were found sitting on the street begging for money or something to eat. They didn't have any hope for a better future... which is why they decided to make a change and start a foundation in The Netherlands under the name Ninos de Waita Ticca. |  | The meaning of the name is 'Children of the Holy Flower/Feather'. In ancient times the local people used these as a symbol to offer the gods. In this way they asked the Spirits for luck, development and reincarnation. The symbol says everything what we wish for the children in Ecuador. You will see this symbol many times when we talk about Villa Ticca. |  | 2003 - In 2003 Mariska Versteegh went to live in Ecuador to start a children's daycare centre in Quito. Evelien as well as Mariska Martienus were in charge of finding sponsors and funds for our foundation. Evelien was having a job at an agency which enabled her to be free whenever there was help needed in Ecuador. And she was needed many times! After a year we celebrated the inauguration of Villa Ticca. The Dutch ambassador Frans Bijvoet was part of this event and we could start the legalizisation of the children's daycare centre. |  | 2004 - In three months time Villa Ticca was full. Every day we had 25 children in need of help, all together in a rented house in El Camal, a poor neighborhood in the south of Quito. Mariska had a group of children and also Sophia, a Dutch volunteer. We needed more employees. We needed to have our own place because the owner of the house was not very co-operative. It was a critical situation at that point. |  | 2004 - The ambassador Frans Bijvoet nominated Mariska Versteegh for a Dutch Television Show called 'The hero of 2004'. Mariska won the award. By then she was in charge of 5 employees day and made a start with an official administration. |  | 2005 - In the program 'De Wandeling' Mariska had an interview about her life and the ins and outs of Villa Ticca. Due to this program a sponsor wanted to help the foundation and bought a house in Quito! We started with the reconstruction of the house to have our own Villa Ticca! | |  | 2006 - We finished the Construction of Villa Ticca in December. Now we were able to help 65 children easily. We had another party to celebrate the opening and Frans Bijvoet was part of this special event as well. |  | 2007 - We started a Homework Group for older children in Villa Ticca. By doing so, we provided an opportunity for the children who had to leave the children's daycare centre to come back every afternoon after school to make their homework with a teacher of Villa Ticca. By then we had 65 children and 7 employees. Mariska returned to Holland Mariska Martienus became a mother and decided to dedicate her time to her little boy. Marleen Hendricks replaced her. We are hoping to buy another house in 2008 or start another children's daycare centre. |
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