Growing urgency
According to Molenaar, the urgency of Woord en Daad’s work, together with its southern partner organisations, continues to grow. “The world is marked by rising tensions between countries. In many of the countries where we work, there are also internal conflicts. These create insecurity and force people to flee. At the same time, climate change is leaving increasingly deep marks on people’s lives around the world.” Together with its southern partners, Woord en Daad works on education, combating child exploitation, agricultural development, access to safe drinking water, and creating employment for young people. Molenaar: “We aim to see communities flourish and to connect people. Strengthening connections between people acts as a counterforce to the forces that drive division.”
Thriving volunteer engagement
Volunteer engagement within Woord en Daad continues to grow, as do the net proceeds from its second-hand shops (over €2.7 million). Volunteer groups represent the organisation at local and regional level. “There is strong momentum within our volunteer groups,” Molenaar notes. “We see that same energy in our second-hand shops, where more than 1,800 volunteers are active across 31 locations.”
Through awareness raising and policy influencing, Woord en Daad draws attention to the interests of people in the Global South. This takes place both among the public and with politicians and policymakers in The Hague and Brussels. “The Netherlands is not an island,” Molenaar says. “We are connected to the rest of the world, and that brings responsibility. In our daily lives and in government policy, we must consider the impact on people elsewhere.”