Annual Report  Willen & Doen Foundation 2023

Before me are the operating summaries of the past year—sent to me by Arnold Vlaar, our financial expert. He is incredible at juggling numbers, and I must also commend Joyce Roemer, who is exceptionally skilled at juggling words. A big thank you to both pillars of Willen en Doen, who fulfill the roles of treasurer and secretary on the board. Of course, I also praise the other board members who dedicate themselves wholeheartedly and lovingly to the children. All of them are listed on www.willenendoen.com.

The year started rather wet in South Africa. The weather gods had heard the cry for water, but the response turned into a deluge. Bridges were washed away, as well as huts where people lived, and especially vegetable gardens took a hit. Generally, there was little left of them. People went missing, and children could no longer attend school. State aid was slow to start, even though the people living in rural areas were far removed from it. In fact, they mostly had to fend for themselves. Fortunately, there is a strong community culture in the countryside, so communities worked together and got to work. 

In April, the minutes note that the newsletter has been restarted to keep donors and everyone following us informed about developments in the projects. Times are changing, and we adapt accordingly. Our secretary is addressing this, and our technical expert, together with our personal finance expert, is developing the QR code for the website and the newsletter. It is crucial to work on virtual fundraising as traditional collection methods are a thing of the past. Yet, virtual is the modern way.

Meanwhile, people around us are taking action. For instance, Ria Ettes celebrated her seventieth birthday with her family and friends, asking for envelopes filled with money for the Willen en Doen Foundation as gifts. She also wished for my brother Joop and me to perform the West Frisian song. Naturally, we gladly accepted because donations for the children coming directly from the heart are very special. Meanwhile, we received news from South Africa that approximately 30 children are enrolled and are being well-educated by Nozuko. Wili still handles breakfast and lunch. There are volunteers active on the project who are committed for the long term. They are there through a German organization led by Agnes. We know Agnes as she was already active in Mawotsheni before COVID.

On September 30th, Johan Karel van Rooy, with the cooperation of Conny Jansen—both of whom are well-known to me—organized a benefit event at the Akhnaton location in Amsterdam. It was a wonderful evening where many people had a great time. The shows were beautiful, and the reactions in the media were promising.

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 and the Numbers...

Private contributions are lower than in 2022. This is partly due to changes in society. Everything is becoming more expensive, and this is true worldwide, including in South Africa. We would like to operate on a broader scale and help more people, but that would require larger initiatives. The numbers show that donations are shrinking. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful and are optimistic that change is on the horizon.

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...

2023 was a turbulent year in South Africa. There was much conflict between population groups, and the ANC lost many members due to policy. The social structure in the ministries also changed, and financial support for childcare centers now falls under education. Social development is now a thing of the past. Through restructuring, mistakes were, of course, made—it takes much longer to get started, and funds are paid out much later or simply not at all. This is Africa. Yet we continue to try to help, and we demonstrate this by sharing it with you. Naturally, we hope for cooperation.

Finally, my special thanks go to Gerard Kroon, who passed away a few months ago. He was a great motivator who, over the past fifteen years, dedicated himself to Willen en Doen and contributed his part from the village community of Zwaagdijk Oost.

The year has come to an end once again. Willen en Doen remains hopeful, and soon, Chairman Ronald Vonk will visit the projects together with friends. Reports will be published firsthand in the next newsletters. We will keep you informed.

A big, big thank you to everyone!!!

"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.