About us
Mariëlle Daemen - Voorzitter
"Children are the future! In The Gambia, too many children are unable to attend school. Girls often have to help raise younger siblings and take care of the household. Boys sell items on the street or work in the fields. That’s not the image I associate with the phrase 'children are the future'. Through the Kids2School foundation, we can give more children in The Gambia a real future."
Chantal Muyrers - Penningmeester
"When my children turned four, the question wasn’t whether they could go to school, but which school they would attend. Unfortunately, many children don’t have the luxury of asking that question. Access to education, which is taken for granted in the Netherlands, is not a given everywhere—certainly not in The Gambia. Hearing the stories and feeling the drive of Mariëlle, Elfie, and Mathieu to get as many children as possible into school inspired me to contribute. Every child should have the right to education, no matter where they are born."
René van de Kandelaar – Secretaris
"Everyone feels the urge to contribute to a good cause at some point—I certainly have, many times. But after donating, you’re often left wondering: what really happens to the money? Where does it go, and how much actually reaches those in need? These are questions you rarely get answers to, which limits your sense of connection to the cause. Through our chairperson, we became aware of the challenges faced by school-age children in The Gambia. Education is the foundation for a better future, but sadly, it's out of reach for many children there. The Kids2School foundation gives me the opportunity to actively contribute to a cause with a clear mission, full transparency, and highly efficient use of funds. In short, a foundation worth supporting. I’m honored to be part of it."
Elfie Rutten-Daemen - Stafmedewerker
"In The Gambia, children are genuinely happy and proud to be able to attend school. Going to school not only allows them to better care for their families in the future, but also enables them to contribute to the country’s development. The fate of the Gambian children—and the country itself—is close to my heart, which is why I’m actively involved with Kids2School."
Mathieu Rutten - Stafmedewerker
"Every time we’re in The Gambia and I see the 'smiling faces' of families who are happy their children can go to school, it fills me with joy. Through Kids2School, we can bring that happiness to more families and give them hope for a better future for their children."
Buba Sowe - Coördinator in Gambia
“I have been a tour guide for my entire life and have had the opportunity to visit many places including families in the country and elsewhere. Anytime I visit a community I saw a need to help kids who are very clever but because of poverty they cannot attend school. I also realize if these clever kids are given an opportunity, they can make a lot of difference in the future. So I began to think of a way how to help them and starting a project like this (Kids2school) that will help kids realize their dreams is just wonderful. I think this project will not only help these kids in the future, but it will also help my country to develop its own human resources who will later contribute to the development of their own societies and communities to lift the country from poverty with the right education. So am I very happy to help.”
