Annual Report Willen & Doen Foundation 2013

2013 was a year of change in the management, new projects, actions and beneficent parties, as well as new volunteers and interns. The overhead costs where low, again less than 3%!

Wil Groot (founder), Martin Lont (chairman), Joyce Roemer (secretary), Arnold Vlaar (treasurer), Maarten Groot (webdesigner), Ronald Vonk (member of the advisory committee) and Jasper Bus (board member).

Willen & Doen Amsterdam

There was a change in the management in January. Johannes Bak said goodbye as chairman and was substituted by Martin Lont. Joyce Roemer takes the role over as secretary and Ronald Vonk, which has worked in the Mawotsheni project in 2013, becomes a member of the advisory committe. We thank Johannes Bak for his big efforts towards the foundation.

Mawotsheni

There was a change of manager. Kate Getting-Lewis substitutes Grace Rawlings and her partner Marcos Msisca. Grace managed the project and Marcos was busy with the vegetable garden.

Grace and Marcos had to say goodbye in 2013 as duet o visa issues they had to return to the United States.

The project is now in hands of Riff Micho, who is South African. Nomapuzi, the pre-school teacher, counts now with Tozama as assistant. In the first semester we were informed that Mawotsheni is now registered as Foundation Willen & Doen South Africa. This was a total surprise. It takes normally 2 years. The chairman is Nomapuzi, the secretary is Selena Arends and the treasurer is Judy Johnson.

Contact has been taken with the Social Development regarding the children´s care centre. We have made agreements in Umtata, where their office is located, but we have never got the green light. It has been decided together with Willen & Doen´s board that the contact will be made directly with the Ministry.

After Riff Micho had taken over the management role and had become member of the board in November, we had another meeting with Social Development. It was clear during the meeting that there is no money. The Ministry´s available funds for Oost Kaap, where the Transkei is, are too small.

Riff believes that there are other ways to become self-reliant.

We have further invested this year in the Spaza shop. Among others we have bought a freezer to seel meat. We have also worked on the rondavel. Another extra cost for the project was the pick-up which was always broken. The roads are bad. Also extra costs were made in the project Mavis.  

Individual contributions, actions from third parties and the private sector

In Mawotsheni there was an investment in materials like a generator, a drill and sanding machine and a Ford pick-up 4 wheel drive. The biggest part of the car was paid by Mr Dennet Lawende through his enterprise.

The Oscar Romero school community, where Will had made presentations, has come into action for Willen & Doen. They have managed to gather 7000 euros. This has led to the financing of the children´s day care in Mavis. The Broeckland college in Breukelen has gathered 2500 euros during their Christmas action. Also there Will has made presentations.

Street Actions

Once again the Queerleaders were active and have made successful performances with a brand new show. The highlight was among others the performance at the Kwakoe festival in the Bijlmer.

We have also taken part in the action against agression, taken place the Thurday before the Gay Pride weekend. Many photos of us were taken. We were in the frontnews page of Het Parool and throught the whole year we have appeared in magazines and other newspapers. A lot of publicity for Willen & Doen.

The revenues were notably smaller by the street actions, where also less performances have taken place. Still a good revenue and through PR we have managed to activate actions from third parties and from the private sector. Individual contributions were also high.

University of Amsterdam interns

A beneficent party was organised by the interns on May 15th. This was enjoyed by the visitors and guests. Peter Faber and Martin Spree have presented the show. Almost 1400 euros were collected. Thank you to the ladies, and to Peter and Martin for this action. With this benefit party the interns were able to successfully end their internship. 

In September a second group of interns has started. They focus first on research and on schools to make presentations there. The first half of the year ended well. They have also decided which goals they want to achieve by next year in May. They shall work at the Barlaeus Gymnasium, at the Leidseplein in Amsterdam. Success, ladies. They are guided by Mr Jacob van Meegen.

Project Mavis

In September there was the big opening organised by Selena Arends and the community of the pre-school Mavis in Ntjileni. Both Social Development and the Ministry of Education were present. They were very impressed. The project´s construction has costed 12.000 euros, which was mostly financed by the Oscar Romero school community, in Hoorn (Noord Holland)..

Other projects

• Tozama, Nomapuzis assistant, starts a ladies sportsclub at Mawotsheni.
• In Amsterdam and in the Transkei Mackenzie Feduruk works for 4,5 months als volunteer organising actions and performances. At Mawotsheni he focusses mosly in the construction, gardening, carpentry and painting. He also assists on the sportsclub and the children´s day care.
• Menthor Mothers are active in the Mawotsheni area.
• Marcos starts a sportsschool int he community centre. He makes his own weights with cement and cans. The boys who train there also help in the vegetables garden.

Actions

The revenues fromt he street actions in 2013 were lower than the previous year.

• There were performances at the Gay Pride,Kwakoe and Loveball, organised at Paradiso on November 29th.
• Market in the Bijlmer.
• Beneficent party at the Oude School in front of the RAI in Amsterdam by the interns from HvA.
• Hanny Cox provides a new wheelchair for Mavis. She has assisted 7 weeks in the Mawotsheni project as volunteer. Great work Henny.
• Christmas beneficent action in Breukelen by the Broeckland college on December 18th.

The numbers

Revenues and expenditures in 2013 are almost identical. Again less than 3% overhead costs.

Investments were made mainly in Mawotsheni, where there were a few setbacks. A fire in the shop has brought yet more extra costs.

Conclusion

We can look back at a successful year. The new childrens day care and the new wheelchair for Mavis. The nursery in Ntjileni now shelters around 70 children. The community self make sure that they get food twice a day. It was great to see how a community can work together.

Oscar Romero is the name of the day care. They have contributed to it. Thank you.