We are delighted to inform you about an important appointment in our organization. Jacob Jan Vreugdenhil has been appointed by the Board of Governors as Director of Programmes of Woord en Daad. Woord en Daad’s Board of Directors will now consist of two members, Rina Molenaar and Jacob Jan Vreugdenhil.
Jacob Jan Vreugdenhil, as our new Director of Programmes, will focus on the quality and impact of the programmes Woord en Daad implements together with all of you, our partners. In addition to her role as Chairperson of the Board, Rina will work to further develop the internal Woord en Daad organization, to maintain contacts with supporters here in the Netherlands and to develop support for international cooperation.
Jacob Jan studied tropical land use in Wageningen. This was followed by a period in East Africa where he was dispatched by the Gereformeerde Zendingsbond, a Reformed missionary alliance here in the Netherlands. He carried out his tasks in East Africa as part of a local GZB partner organization. Together with his family, Jacob Jan returned to the Netherlands in 2013. He then joined Woord en Daad to take up the task of setting up the Sustainable Water Programme. Over the past ten years, he has held various positions within the organization.
Jacob Jan: “As Director of Programmes, I am committed to position the Woord en Daad organization in such a way that it can effectively address the complex challenges we see worldwide. Over the years, I have experienced the multicoloured dynamics and strengths of our Christian partner network. It motivates me enormously to work with our partners, fueled by the faith that unites us. Together we always look for solutions and create opportunities in the lives of the most vulnerable.”
The appointment of Jacob Jan to our board of directors is important as it will help us to adequately shape our mission in the coming years. With our new, two-member board, we are set as a future-proof organization. Woord en Daad is able to further advance its work on sustainable change in both the South and the North on the basis of both mercy and justice.
Our organization is growing, partly as a result of the loyal support given to us by our supporters in the Netherlands. We therefore feel a great responsibility to guarantee high quality management and decision-making. Worldwide, the complexity of our work is increasing due to significant developments in the international cooperation sector. In this given context, Woord en Daad is dedicated to continue to work decisively on its mission, with the desired impact.