Every child deserves a chance at a bright future

“Every child deserves a chance at a bright future”
Partnership RST and Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation

Empowering children who lack opportunities so they can become ‘leaders of their own futures’. That is what the Giovanni van Bronckhorst Foundation (GvBF) is all about, and it is the main reason why RST has become a ‘friend’ of this foundation. In this article, Jacqueline Jonkhart (GvBF) and Jeroen Hooft (RST) share their views. “We want to build a sustainable relationship and provide a safety net of companies where they are welcome.”

It all started with Feyenoord legend Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Jacqueline explains: “GvBF was created to address the lack of opportunities for many children in Rotterdam. Giovanni, who experienced limited resources as a little boy, understands the importance of support and opportunities like no one else. He has always remained aware that it was not just his amazing talent, but also the people around him who provided him with the opportunity to build a bright future. So, for him and his wife, it was a no-brainer that every child deserves such a chance, and society must support these children. That is why they founded GvBF in 2012. The foundation helps children develop their potential and gain essential skills and confidence to achieve their goals.”

More than ‘just moving containers’
It’s that same perspective that RST wants to offer. The company became a ‘friend’ of GvBF because they believe in doing “more than just moving containers”, as Jeroen puts it. “Of course we all love Feyenoord and we support various good causes, including the family house of the Daniel den Hoed Clinic. But there is more. We feel a social responsibility towards our environment, especially Rotterdam. The goals of GvBF align with our focus on personal development and collective progress – for our employees, for students of all learning paths and backgrounds (e.g., BBL, HBO interns), and now for these younger children as well.”

He continues: “We are still in the early stages of our partnership, but we see plenty of options. For instance, we can offer tours around the terminal, and maybe ‘snuffelstages’ (short internships) to become acquainted with working in the Port of Rotterdam. Kids these days dream about becoming famous football players or influencers. But there are so many more interesting careers. They are often pleasantly surprised when they see how varied and exciting our jobs really are.”

Buddies and safety nets
The collaboration between GvBF and companies like RST goes far beyond financial support. GvBF seeks partners who can offer added value, such as the adventure of exploring interesting working environments. Jacqueline: “We organise holiday programmes, asking our ‘friends’ to send employees to act as buddies, connecting with the kids and showing them what it is like to work in such companies. Additionally, we have set up an online community to follow the children’s development, so we can build a sustainable relationship and provide a safety net of companies where they are welcome.”

‘Welcome’ is certainly how the children feel at GvBF. The foundation has a hugging policy – they always hug the kids when it’s time to say goodbye, to make them feel loved and appreciated for who they are. This policy even extends to the friends of GvBF. Jeroen: “Everyone at RST who has met the people from GvBF feels the warmth they express to children as well as grown-ups and is excited about our partnership. We all understand the importance of this collaboration and look forward to making new plans. Let’s help these children to become leaders of their own futures!”

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