Our vision
We want to support children and adults, who live in an unsafe and / or unstable environment, with the aim that they develop into a dignified existence in their own environment and culture. We achieve this by collecting knowledge, money and experience and invest this in local initiatives.
During my six months of volunteering in Nepal, I learned a lot and experienced that becoming involved sets something in motion. It does not matter how little you have to offer in your eyes: qualities, money or time. You just have to be there and then see what happens. I like to put my energy in facilitating development, together with people who also have a passion for it. Everyone has so much to give and receive.
I regularly trek and cycle through areas that are often less developed. Away from western norms and values, I learned from my experiences and made me put things into perspective. I love doing this, besides my work as HR advisor and haptonomist. Going back to basics has brought me a lot. Being there, seeing with your own eyes and experiencing how different life can be. It gives me strength, physically and mentally. Being in contact with the people with different norms and values, the conversations and the silences in particular, they offer me different perspectives. It makes me richer as a person. As a board member of Wacalea I want to give and learn from so many other beautiful, smart people who live in a different situation than we do.
I will not succeed in changing the world. What I can do is make a small contribution to improve the lives of women, men and children in disadvantaged situations. Show that there are people who care about people!
Not by giving money or telling them “how to do it”. But by looking, listening and supporting, with the aim that these people again find the courage to get started with their own qualities, in their own immediate environment.
Wacalea Foundation has been successful in this philosophy for several years. I am proud to be part of this.
