Joleen Krepel from Hellevoet is working hard with her Foundation Esengo to be able to start giving young people in Bandundu – Congo practical lessons and therefore work. Joleen lived and researched in Kenya for three years. There she saw what it took to prevent young people from becoming unemployed.
Joleen: “Together with my partner, who is from Congo, I founded a practical school in his native village of Bandundu. There, two-thirds of the population is unemployed and we want to work on the ground to change that. It is important to work from local demand and in consultation, and we do.
We are starting a carpentry and sewing school and next to the school we are establishing a cooperative from which the furniture and clothing produced will be sold. We are currently living in the Netherlands due to the birth of our baby, but will be moving to Congo during the course of next year. ‘Esengo’ is our baby’s name, which means joy. We thought that was a great name for our own foundation.”
Cooperation with Supply and Demand International
Joleen enthusiastically goes on to talk about their plans. “We work closely with the Supply and Demand Foundation International (VAI). They ensure that we will eventually have the necessary tools on site to further develop the practical school.
As long as we are in the Netherlands, we have a home collection point where people from Hellevoetsluis and surrounding areas can drop off their materials. VAI takes care of collecting the items from our home, sorting them out and finally transporting them to their destination.” See also www.stichtingesengo.nl
What is collected?
The VAI Foundation could use a lot of items. Hand tools, sewing machines, power tools, computers and laptops, laser printers, bicycles, compressors, generators and welding tools, water pumps, milling machine, circular saw, column drills, flattening machines or saw benches, crutches, rollators, wheelchairs and shoe making equipment.
However, certain materials can NOT be collected: examples include audio and visual equipment, white goods, typewriters, clothing, furniture and inkjet printers.
Where to turn in?
In Hellevoetsluis, you can hand in the materials at Joleen’s home, Komeet 34 3225 VB Hellevoetsluis. Please contact Joleen in advance to arrange a time. Mobile: 06-38142298, email: joleen_krepel@hotmail.com
VAI Foundation
The people of the VAI Foundation believe that everyone has the right to a dignified existence. Not by giving money, because that only provides temporary relief. They give people tools so they can earn their own living.
Examples of the success of this position are already many: “After my education, I was at home, without work, without income. But thanks to the tools I received from Supply and Demand International, I now have my own workshop where I maintain and repair cars. Now I earn my own living. What’s more, in my workshop I teach others the trade that I myself am so proud of.” Another example is setting up a sewing workshop using sewing machines collected in the Netherlands.