Rotterdam mom Celien
The first day of school is the perfect time for children to show their friends their new agenda and trendy notebooks. When Celien saw in her environment that not every family can afford this, she decided to do something about it. The result: 300 very happy children, with a backpack full of new school supplies!
A friend of Celien indicated that she really did not know how to provide for her child's school needs. This touched Celien, and she decided to help right away. "But if I can help her, then I can help others too!" she thought.
If I can help them, why not more families?!
"Then I started my #schoolbagchallenge campaign. With the help of social media I wanted to collect 100 bags with content. Soon there were 300! I kept them in my house, and at one point the bedroom really bulged, so I had collected a lot of stuff, and then I distributed this stuff to families in my area, who I knew were struggling financially.
The feeling that prevailed this day was so special. There was a lot of mutual understanding, and the gratitude of these people was indescribable. Together we can mean a lot. If you take a small step in society, you have already won a lot!
This gratitude has inspired me to do more for families living in poverty. I want to make sure that I can offer children in Rotterdam some warmth. I'm collecting warm pajamas so these kids don't have to be cold this winter. I also want to prepare a meal for a family in Rotterdam every week in December. Cooking is my passion, so why couldn't I do this for someone else!"
I'm so proud, I feel like a very involved Rotterdammer
As a result of her great fundraising campaign, Celien has been nominated for the Rotterdam Children's Rights Award. She won this one too! "I am so proud, I feel like a very involved Rotterdammer. With the amount won I will continue this project next year, and I am really looking forward to that!
Dog fan Theodora
Dog fan Theodora It started with walking a dog, but quickly became a close friendship. Theodora has built a special bond with dog Kuki and her owner. Four times a week Theodora cycles for an hour there and an hour back to be able to do something for Mrs and her dog. She does it with a lot of love and pleasure! "Through Zorgzaam010 I came across a group of people who would take turns walking Kuki. The first time I got there he immediately accepted me, I was greeted so enthusiastically! I decided this sweet dog deserved it to walk a little further than he was used to. He started to get used to that more and more and sniffed everything. Then I took him in my bicycle basket to the Kralingse Bos, and I had never seen a dog so enthusiastic! I had never seen a dog so excited! He was fond of me more and more, every time I went there he jumped at me as if he hadn't seen me for years. I started to notice that his owner could use some help too. We started having conversations and told each other about each other's lives. I also read from the Oude Rotterdammer, which for the lady was a feast of recognition. "I've never laughed so hard!" she said. Now I come to their house four to five times a week. I also involve madam in playing with Kuki. Running after balls is his biggest hobby, so now I let her throw the balls so that Kuki can run around. We often sit on the couch, chatting, with Kuki between us. They are two very special friendships I really enjoy helping them, they are really two special friendships. Kuki is such a sweet little dog, and Mrs. is a wonderful person to deal with. For me it's a pleasure to see them both recovering so much from my presence. By doing small things with them, I really achieve a lot. Madame is so grateful to me for that, and it does me a lot of good. It is so important that everyone can enjoy friendly and human contact, and if I can give it, I do it with all my heart! Share these stories and inspire others to help too! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Whatsapp Forward
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