On January 24th, we celebrated the UN’s International Day of Education—a powerful reminder that every child deserves not only access to education but also the tools, support, and inspiration to truly thrive.
Throughout 2024, our partners helped us make strides toward this vision by empowering us to deliver 950 backpacks filled with school supplies to 22 reception centers across the country. Additionally, we provided 85 laptops to support the learning center initiatives being introduced at various locations. These centers aim to equip children with vital digital literacy skills, empowering them to shape a brighter future here in the Netherlands.
But we need to keep this momentum going to reach even more children in 2025. In honor of International Day of Education, this month we collected inspiring stories that illustrate the life-changing power of learning for children forced to flee their homes.
Have a look at these stories and more of our impact at home and abroad during the month of January:
- Powering bright futures in the Netherlands
- One laptop, one lesson and one life at a time
- Seeing boys’ confidence bloom as they take pride in their education
- Changing perspectives through connection and open doors
- International Crisis Response
- Announcing our new partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Morocco!
- Winter donations bring relief to families on the frontlines in Ukraine
- Partnerships
- From the warehouse to a child in need: How collective action in a heartbeat works
- A sneak peek at what’s to come next month…
- People for People turns 3!
- Want to join our team?
Powering bright futures in the Netherlands
> One laptop, one lesson and one life at a time
A COA location in Goes is going beyond academic support, providing the kids with lessons in essential digital skills. From building a CV to working with programs like Excel and Word, this new program is aimed at empowering the children with the skills they’ll need to enter the workforce. Thanks to our partners, we provided laptops to support this great initiative. Alongside digital literacy, COA workers are also encouraging the kids to develop their strengths further. For example, one boy, who has a natural talent for working with his hands, started his own bike repair services.
Read more about this inspiring story here.
> Seeing boys’ confidence bloom as they take pride in their education
In Biddinghuizen, 50 boys are getting the chance to go back to school after months or even years of trying to reach the safety of the Netherlands. Some of them are going to school for the first time in their lives. The opportunity to attend school offers these boys more than just an education; it gives them a chance to reclaim their childhood. Thanks to the support of our partners, we were able to provide all 50 boys with backpacks filled with school supplies and winter clothing.
Read more about the impact the return to school has had on these boys’ confidence and motivation for the future.
> Changing perspectives through connection and open doors
A COA location in Lochem is encouraging learning through connection by opening its doors to the local community. Just as the kids can learn about Dutch culture from their neighbors, local residents can also learn valuable lessons from these incredibly brave kids who are forging a new life in the Netherlands. This has brought the community closer together through cultural exchange, with the boys preparing and sharing meals from their home countries and local residents stepping up to help the boys with their Dutch homework, repair their bicycles, and include them in the local football club.
Learn more about the beautiful friendships forming in this community and how you can help us support this location.
International Crisis Response
> Announcing our new partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Morocco!
This month, we announced our new partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Morocco—an organization dedicated to providing vulnerable children with a safe home, education, and the care they deserve.
In 2023, People for People undertook a crisis aid mission to remote villages devastated by the 6.8 magnitude earthquake. This experience underscored the critical importance of collaborating with local organizations that possess deep community insights and expertise, enabling us to respond swiftly and make a meaningful impact.
Our partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Morocco exemplifies this approach in action. By fostering strong, long-term relationships with trusted local partners, we can better identify on-the-ground needs and provide effective support when crises arise. Together, we’re advancing our mission to deliver sustainable solutions that transform lives and empower communities.

Learn more about our visit to SOS Children’s Village in Al Hoceima, where we were warmly welcomed with a tour of the Educational Room. Here, children receive academic support while also exploring their creativity and self-expression. To aid their development, we donated laptops to enhance digital skills and unlock access to online resources for language learning, educational enrichment, and more.
> Winter donations bring relief to families on the frontlines in Ukraine
Over the last few months, we’ve been working with our partner, Lifeline Ukraine, to deliver winter clothing to families on the frontlines. We were grateful to receive news that, this month, items were distributed to 300 families in the Kharkiv region.
Since the start of the war, Kharkiv has endured some of the most severe destruction, facing near-daily shelling and aerial bombardments. With the added strain on the region’s power grid, the need for warm clothing and relief supplies has become even more urgent. Thanks to the swift collaboration between Lifeline Ukraine and their local partner, Heart of Kharkiv, we were able to provide much-needed support to these families.
Heart of Kharkiv shared a moving video from the distribution center, capturing moments as mothers and children selected brand-new boots, warm coats, and other essential winter items.
Partnerships
> From the warehouse to a child in need: How collective action in a heartbeat works
What enables People for People to respond so quickly during times of crisis? It’s our commitment to “collective action in a heartbeat.”
Whether it’s delivering winter clothing to families in Ukraine or providing essential supplies to displaced children, our operation relies on a strong network of partners who help us gather resources and get them where they’re needed—fast.
A perfect example of this came to life when Filling Pieces and Amazon stepped in to help us deliver 800 pairs of shoes to newly arrived children in the Netherlands.
For these children, a new pair of shoes does more than keep them warm during their first winter in a new country. It brings comfort, boosts confidence, and fosters the self-esteem they need to step confidently into their new life in the Netherlands.
Learn more about this mission here.
Feeling inspired? Learn how you can join our collective of companies making a difference.
A sneak peek at what’s to come next month…
> People for People turns 3!
We’re excited to celebrate out third year as an organization. We couldn’t have done it without you, our loyal partners and volunteers. Stay tuned for more!
> Want to join our team?
Are you passionate about using communications to support and empower people forced to flee their homes? Are you an organized go-getter who is resilient, adaptable, and calm under pressure? Check out our job board for new job openings to help us expand our impact as we grow!