Spreading joy from afar

Marie José Pluijmakers founded Stichting Uit Die Verte in Susteren, the Netherlands, after a tour to Namibia in May 2019.“I fell in love with the country and felt the need to do something for the people. This resulted in the birth of “Stichting Uit Die Verte” in 2020. I don&#039;t know how to put it into words. I think my soul opened up in Namibia and this journey turned my whole life upside down, ” she says. The booking for a second visit in May 2020 was already a done deal, then Covid-19 arrived. “Not a day went by without me thinking about Namibia. Due to the pandemic, I could not do anything, however doing nothing is and remains a ‘no-go’ for me, hence the idea was born to do something from the Netherlands. This is possible despite the great distance, thanks to technology.” The small-scale foundation facilitates direct help to underprivileged Namibians by providing them with their basic necessities and in doing so giving them the opportunity to live rather than survive and work for their future.Pluijmakers said the pandemic has taught humanity that we are all social beings and social beings take care of each other. “The whole world has of course been hit hard by the pandemic, but in Namibia it hits extra hard because the majority of the population depends on tourism that completely collapsed. Moreover, the support measures of the Namibian government cannot be compared to what is offered as support in Europe.”Stichting Uit Die Verte is supported by various businesses in the Netherlands and currently supports Ann’s Angels Soup Kitchen where about 300 children are served a hot lunch in the Democratic Resettlement Community (DRC) informal settlement in Swakopmund. Pluijmakers visited the project from 29 October to 2 November after three years of waiting. “I could finally come to Namibia with my partner Andre Heijnen to take pictures and videos in order to promote Stichting Uit Die Verte in my country. It’s important that we show our donors that their donation actually ends up with the people who really need it. By doing so we can generate more donations from the Netherlands for Namibia.”The organisation also drive the Save 1 Life For 1 Euro project which facilitates the distribution of food parcels to underprivileged Namibians and the Every Child Deserves A Hug project through which stuffed dolls are send to Namibian children. “We are also experiencing uncertain times in the Netherlands due to the war in the nearby Ukraine, the ensuing energy crisis and the enormous inflation etc. Because we provide humanitarian care to people and therefore fulfil a social function, the foundation is recognised by the Dutch State as a Public Benefit Organization (ANBI),” Pluijmakers explained. This means that Stichting Uit Die Verte do not have to pay tax on donations. “We can therefore fully use the money you donate for our work. ANBI status can also provide benefits for donors. Donations to charities are often (partly) deductible. This means that you can get a significant part of your gift back from the tax authorities.”She emphasised that no one who works for Stichting Uit Die Verte receives a wage. “This allows us to guarantee that at least 90% of all our receipts ends up with the people who need it most. We strive for more by keeping costs as low as possible.”Visit www.uitdieverte.nl for more about Stichting Uit Die Verte.

Spreading joy from afar

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Republikein 2025-06-18

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Spreading joy from afar

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