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an experience to remember
The impact of SOS Children's Villages
Sari Simons, Storemanager Knokke in Belgium (second from left in photo)
Together with SOS Children's Villages, fourteen Action employees visited Indonesia in October 2022 to see for themselves what SOS Children's Villages does and what Action contributes to. All Action employees received a chocolate bar due to the celebration of the 2000th store opening. Fourteen of them contained a golden ticket to win this trip. Sari Simons, Store Manager Knokke (Belgium) was one of the golden ticket winners.
Not only several children's villages where visited, employees also learned more about the YouthCan! Project. This project teaches and encourages teenagers to use their talents and pursue their dreams. Sari:
"I learned so much from this trip. It's the little things that make the difference. Be happy with what you have. Don’t take it for granted."
What moment has stayed with you the most from this trip?
Our visit to a family financially supported by SOS Children's Villages in one of the slums in Bandung. Through SOS Children's Villages, they receive a monthly contribution to pay for their electricity, among other things. A small amount for us, but a huge amount for them. We spoke to the mother in her little house of 3 by 3 square metres. Startlingly small for me, but a gift from heaven for her. Because of the contribution from SOS Children's Villages, her son is able to study and which means having a bright future. She smiled as she said, "he is top of the class".
What has surprised you?
How good the locations look where the children grow up and how well the children are supervised in the SOS villages. The supervisors in the villages do their best to provide a safe haven for the children. And because of the loving guidance of the SOS mothers, the children have a bright future. You can feel that the children really like and value their mothers and the SOS staff, like their own family. They are truly grateful.
What makes the work of SOS Children's Villages so special?
The fact that the people accompanying the children are so selfless. Their lives revolve around raising the children. Each child is central, each child has a different background, and yet all these children form a group. They learn values and norms and eventually grow up to become young adults with a bright future. So, in my view, the projects they are working on are really projects we should continue to invest in. I am enormously grateful to have been able to make this trip. I personally found it a very emotional trip. I saw a lot, heard a lot and talked a lot with the kids. Experiencing it from up close made me realise how good we have it. It was an experience I will always carry with me.
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What moment has stayed with you the most from this trip?
Our visit to a family financially supported by SOS Children's Villages in one of the slums in Bandung. Through SOS Children's Villages, they receive a monthly contribution to pay for their electricity, among other things. A small amount for us, but a huge amount for them. We spoke to the mother in her little house of 3 by 3 square metres. Startlingly small for me, but a gift from heaven for her. Because of the contribution from SOS Children's Villages, her son is able to study and which means having a bright future. She smiled as she said, "he is top of the class".
What has surprised you?
How good the locations look where the children grow up and how well the children are supervised in the SOS villages. The supervisors in the villages do their best to provide a safe haven for the children. And because of the loving guidance of the SOS mothers, the children have a bright future. You can feel that the children really like and value their mothers and the SOS staff, like their own family. They are truly grateful.
What makes the work of SOS Children's Villages so special?
The fact that the people accompanying the children are so selfless. Their lives revolve around raising the children. Each child is central, each child has a different background, and yet all these children form a group. They learn values and norms and eventually grow up to become young adults with a bright future. So, in my view, the projects they are working on are really projects we should continue to invest in. I am enormously grateful to have been able to make this trip. I personally found it a very emotional trip. I saw a lot, heard a lot and talked a lot with the kids. Experiencing it from up close made me realise how good we have it. It was an experience I will always carry with me.
"I learned so much from this trip. It's the little things that make the difference. Be happy with what you have. Don’t take it for granted."
Not only several children's villages where visited, employees also learned more about the YouthCan! Project. This project teaches and encourages teenagers to use their talents and pursue their dreams. Sari:
an experience to remember
Back to Cruyff & SOS
Sari Simons, Storemanager Knokke in Belgium (second from left in photo)
Together with SOS Children's Villages, fourteen Action employees visited Indonesia in October 2022 to see for themselves what SOS Children's Villages does and what Action contributes to. All Action employees received a chocolate bar due to the celebration of the 2000th store opening. Fourteen of them contained a golden ticket to win this trip. Sari Simons, Store Manager Knokke (Belgium) was one of the golden ticket winners.
The impact of SOS Children's Villages
Back to Cruyff & SOS