Annual Report  Willen & Doen Foundation 2022

2022 has come to an end, and due to issues with the website, we are rather late in posting the annual report. It was an eventful year in which everything became more expensive, causing people, especially in rural areas, to tighten their belts financially. Hunger makes even plain beans taste sweet, but when there is also little rainfall and as a result, poor harvest in the vegetable garden, it can lead to feelings of melancholy. Nature took its toll.

In July, Ronald Vonk, the chairman, visited the project with his family. He realized that a lot had changed in Coffee Bay. Tourism was clearly less prominent. Our summer months are their winter months, but it was still noticeably quieter. The project looked beautiful, and the family had a great time with the little ones. Well, when such a little toddler demands your attention, even the ice man gives in. 

At the daycare center, Nyameka said goodbye and Nolundi took over her role. Of course, we thank Nyameka on behalf of all of us, as she was greatly appreciated by the children as a teacher. Nolundi is well known to all of us as she has lived in Mawotsheni for many years. She knows the people, which is a great advantage. In September, we received news that only 10 children were attending the daycare center in Mawotsheni, and the reason was that the parents couldn't afford clothing and shoes for their children. Of course, we took immediate action from our side.

In October, Wil Groot visited the project for four and a half weeks and got to know Naomi and Jay. The world had changed quite a bit. Due to poverty, hunger is increasing, and along with it, crime. The community is closing its gates to ward off intruders, which also means that no children are wandering around the project after school hours. However, the project looks great, including the vegetable garden. During the four and a half weeks, Wil focused mainly on forming new boards for the project and daycare center, improving community relations, rewriting the constitution, and reviewing banking matters.

Willen en Doen Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, there were many meetings again. A decision had to be made regarding the state of the buildings. The roof of the community center needed to be renovated due to leakage and the rusting of many panels. Since Riff is well-informed about the project and has established the Good Hope Project himself, we have competent people on board to steer us in the right direction.

Regarding actions, Stefan Winter was the big star. He completed the full triathlon in Maastricht in approximately 12 hours and raised €2607 for the children of Willen en Doen. Truly an amazing action and deserving of respect. Stefan visited the project a few years ago. Pride Amsterdam sponsored €2700 due to contributions to the #IAMPROUD project. It is planned for this project to create an E-book. We would also like to thank Mr. GJ.Bouwman, who celebrated his 75th birthday and received €900 in gifts, which he donated to us. Furthermore, Wil has given several presentations at associations.

Private donations

Once again, private individuals have contributed the most to the income. Actions through the internet, including Stefan's campaign, have been particularly good examples. We are grateful for that. Virtual donation methods are prevalent in this day and age, and we will continue to utilize and learn from them. On the internet, there is a lot being offered and inquiries are frequently made about the situation in Africa. Email communication is also used for various requests and offers. Individuals seek information to take their own steps. As a result, third-party actions are still active. Private initiatives especially thrive when PR is done correctly. We constantly strive to improve in this regard. Once again, 40MM has been active and we thank them for their contributions. Facebook campaigns have also yielded significant results. Wonderful actions indeed.

The numbers

In 2022, the expenses were higher than in 2021. The reason for this was that the project was inactive for three months. This year, expenses were incurred for maintaining the buildings. The daycare centers needed to be painted, and there were also issues with leakage. These costs are reflected in the figures, although we were able to obtain the necessary supplies from Ncwganguba Wholesail at purchase price. As an NGO, or ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) in Dutch, we do not have a profit motive, which allows for the possibility of making large donations that are tax-deductible. You can find more information about this on our website.

Finally...

... I hereby use the same text as last year, and we would like to express our gratitude once again to everyone who has contributed - those who have turned their Will into Action. Will and Action - even in the current times - continue to strive for equal opportunities. Every child has the right to education and, especially, to good food. We try to make a small contribution in our own way, from the heart. Love is still the strongest weapon, and that is why we Will to Do. We extend our thanks to everyone once again!.

"Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom." Nelson Mandela.