Annual Report Willen & Doen Foundation 2011

2011 was a moving year in the still young history of the Foundation Willen & Doen. Hierunder a biref overview of the most important projects,  actions and numbers. The overhead costs were again low, even smaller  than 3%.

Wil Groot (founder), Johannes Bak (chairman), Martin Lont (secretary), Arnold Vlaar (treasurer), Maarten Groot (webdesinger) and Jasper Bus (board member).

Cirque Classique

The absolute highlight of 2011 was the beneficent concert Cirque Classique in the Westerkerk in Amsterdam; an evening where classical music, dance and acrobatics went in full swing strengthening each other. An inspiring evening presented by Peter Faber. 

He were able to assemble almost 7.000 euros. We have also been able with this concert to present our ambitions and profile us in a clear way. 

The concert was not possible without the driven and professional efforts of the central team and the special and altruistic contribution from our artists. Through this report we would like to thank once again to everyone for the creation of this fabulous show. 

Selling of ‘Ons Plek’

In South Africa we were obliged to take a difficult decision on 2011; to sell “Ons Plek”. 

Since 2007 we were working together with Deon Mulder. Since its creation in 1999, this project has given shelter and a last home to a lot of people (mostly mothers). Also kids have found a safe haven there.

Together with Deon Mulder we were able to bring about two children´s day care centres:

• The Pink House in Bloemfontein
• and Khaya Lethu in the Transkei.

Both day care centres are now autonomous. The Pink house has been renamed and is now Tshepang and offers among others a shelter for 5 kids from start (they are already in Ons Plek in 2007.

The autonomy of Ons Plek was never consistent. Through the aging of the building, the big number of residents and other factors the costs remained high. Patients were left at the sidewalk sometimes but it is  difficult to let a sick man or woman at the door. The management was just extinguishing fires and we were not managing to implement successfully our plans for the self reliance on the community involved in the project. 

The choice we had to make was to either increase the budget for Ons Plet or to sell it. In the first case we would just remain in a vicious circle. We didn´t find that responsible. Through the sale Deonn Mulder was able to move on without debts with a small group (the family). They have in the meantime established themselves in Jagersfontein. We have therefore unfortunately stopped our collaboration in the project.

Mawotsheni

Through the problems of Ons Plek we got into trouble in Mawotsheni, in the Transkei. The pre-school was opened in January 2011 but in an old tent (rondavel) without windozs. We had not been able to start the building of a school for the kids and a day care centre. 

Therefore we have taken the management of the project over from Deon Mulder in August. Wil has spent a lot of time in South Africa in 2011 in order to get things going smoothly. Besides a pre-school and a day care we also planned a ship, a vegetable garden and a community centre. So now we have a pilot project which can serve as concept for other projects in the Transkei It must be a project from the community and for the community. (in 2012 the project was completed and enjoys a lot of respect in the Coffee Bay area)

NPO Sustainable Coffeebay

Dawn Betteridge´s Foundation, which focuses on Montssori pre-school education, was granted NPO (nonn profit organisation) status in 2011. They are an important partner of Foundation Willen & Doen in their fight to improve education in the region. Until we manage to get the NPO status ourselves, we shall make the payments to our employees in Mawotsheni via Sustainabie Coffee Bay.

Ovther projects

• In 2011 we have managed to accomplish the construction of a Waldorf Pre-schhol by Judy Denison and Brian Kruger, which had started in 2010. The school can now be opened.
• We have worked together with Jerome Solomon´s Centre of Joy, which focuses on community building and basic and middle education. Jerome has also assisted by the construction of Mawotsheni.

Actions

The revenues from the street actions in 2011 were higher than in the previous year.

• Queen´s Day was also a great day with a revenue of 2.200 euros..
• We also took part on the GayPrie, Grey Pride and Hartjesdag at the Zeedijk.
• We have also taken part at the Christmas market at the Zeedijk. Around Valentine´s day Cafe De Engel at the Zeedijk organised an action for Willen & Doen. All their ceiling was decorated with litle hearts. The revenue as 650 euros.

The numbers

The high revenue of 2010 was not repeated in 2011, but this was also not to expect. In 2010 we had a few very special windfalls. They did not happen in 2011. We have spent more on projects than we have received but through the buffer we had built up in 2009 and 2010 this was not a problem.

We were able once again to keep the foundation´s overhead costs very low (less than 3% of the revenues). The bank costs were lower than in 2010. Other costs have remained more or less at the same level.