Our history
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Our story story begins in Ruda, Småland, in the 1940s, when a boy with hemophilia, Erik Nilsson, began to send lettersev and gifts to other sick children. It was the start of Erikshjälpen - a child rights organisation that still fights for children's rights today.
Encouraging other children who are sick
The story of Erikshjälpen begins in a boy's room in Småland in the mid-1940s. The shoemaker's son Erik Nilsson is seriously ill with hemophilia, and spendsr much of his childhood in hospital. His life is surrounded by illness, hospital environments, exclusion and bullying. Despite this he has hope, and a strong drive to do good for others.
When Erik is a teenager, he starts thinking that there might be more children like him. Children who are sick and hospitalized without their families. Erik has an idea to cheer up these children by sending them small letters and gifts. He gets the addresses by listening to the radio program Barnens Brevlåda with Sven Jerring, the biggest celebrity of the time.
The activity for sick children is created
Erik describes his work as "a labour of love among sick children", and he puts time, money and love into what starts to grow into more and more of an organization. What becomes the starting point for Erikshjälpen is formed in 1946, when Erik is only 17 years old.
In the mid-1950s, Erik met his future wife Ulla and they married in 1958. In her book "Uncle Erik - In the Service of Love", Ulla describes how the people around Erik could not see how anything would become of him. No job, no family, no meaning, no value. He was even offered a place in the local old people's home. But Erik refused to give up. He didn't see life as hopeless. He saw that everyone has value, including him.
Erik's heart was set on helping, encouraging and giving hope. And he did - through positive and comforting letters.
Erik Nilsson was just 17 years old when his love affair with sick children was established in 1946.
Erik Nilsson was just 17 years old when his love affair with sick children was established in 1946.
Business is evolving and becoming international
The years after Erik and Ulla got married are intense. The work continues to grow and, at the end of the 1950s, also becomes international through contributions to missionaries in Pakistan and Berlin, for example. Throughout this time, Ulla stands by Erik's side. Even when he is ill at times and has to be hospitalized.
Erik dies and Ulla takes over
Erik Nilsson dies over the Easter weekend in 1966, aged just 37. He suffers a stroke as a result of hemophilia and after a few days in hospital his body can no longer cope. Ulla is determined that the work for sick children should continue and she plays a crucial role in the continued development of the organization. It was Ulla Nilsson who started the Uncle Erik's Help Foundation in 1967.
Instead of being discouraged by his own limitations, he saw the anxiety and distress of other children. His heart burned to help, encourage and give hope.
New sister organizations are started in the 1990s
During the 1990s is started the new sister organizations that getr great importance for the business, on the one hand Erikshjälpen Second Hand with its shops, and Skandinaviska Läkarbanken, which provides medical expertise where it is most needed. 2001 the Human Bridge Foundation was established in collaboration with Läkarmissionento provide medical equipment in the form of material aid to hospitals in countries that need it..
Development to become one of Sweden's largest child rights organizations
Erikshjälpen has grown over the years and become a collaborative organization with a large network, many partners and countless collaborations. The economy is based on donations from individual donors, Corporate, foundations and institutions. The Second Hand shops' volunteers make large interventions that contribute to the organization's Surplus which is also used for interventions around the world. Erikshjälpen also receives contributions from the Swedish Mission Council (SMR), Radiohjälpen and the Swedish Postcode Lottery.
Today, Erikshjälpen is one of Sweden's largest children's rights organizations with large and broad activities. But it all started in a boy's room in Småland in the 1940s, and grew to become what today strengthens children's rights around the world. This is thanks to Erik's courage to make his dreams come true.
Important years in the history of Erikshjälpen
1929
Erik Nilsson is born in a shoemaking village in the village of Ruda in Småland. He suffers from hemophilia and spends a lot of time in hospital. I his severe condition, he findsr Erik still strength in helping others and startingr already at a young age to sending greetings and gifts to other sick children.
1946
Erik's relief work formedis thanks to a strong drive to do good for others. Through the radio program Children's Mailbox he gets contact details to other children and becomes good friends with the host Sven Jerring. Erik starts to be called Uncle Erik, after Sven Jerring mistakes Erik for an older man.
1951
Erik intervieweds on the radio by Sven Jerring. Gifts beginr people from all over the country hear about Erik's work and the business grows.is bigger.
1966
Erik dies from his illness and bli only 37 years old. The work that he startedt tis by his wife Ulla Nilsson.
1967
The Uncle Erik Relief Foundation foundationas.
1969
Erikshjälpen moves its operations from Högsby in Småland to Falkenberg on the West Coast.
1978
The head office is moving again, this time from Falkenberg to Holsbybrunn outside Vetlanda.
1990
Our first second-hand shops open in Vetlanda and Mölndal. The store business starts as a non-profit organization to raise money for the social and humanitarian efforts of the Erikshjälpen Foundation. To this day, Erikshjälpen and Erikshjälpen Second Hand are two legally separate organizations, but share the same brand and vision.
In the same year, the Scandinavian Medical Bank is formed, which is closely linked to Erikshjälpen. Skandinaviska Läkarbanken provides Swedish doctors and specialist nurses as volunteers to partner hospitals, mainly in African countries.
2001
Human Bridge takes its current form after activities started back in 1999. Over the years, Human Bridge has has developed into a modern sustainability company that has become one of the largest textile collectors in Sweden. Clothes collected go to aid shipments, but some textiles are also sold on and the proceeds are used for aid transportation of various kinds.
2010
In the 2010s, ther Erikshjälpen began to profile itself as a child rights organisation, both in Sweden and internationally.
2014
Erikshjälpen moves its head office from Holsbybrunn to Huskvarna.
2019
Erikshjälpen is launching its first Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad, in Helsingborg. The concept is to use Erikshjälpen Second Hand's local shops as a base for social work in nearby residential areas.
2023
Ulla Nilsson passes away At the age of 91, after a lifetime of service to love.
Now time
Today, we are still working to provide safety and protection, health, education and leisure opportunities to thousands of children and families living in vulnerability around the world. We give them the opportunity to shape their own future.
Published: 08 March 2024
