Skip to main content

As People for People puts a spotlight on the importance of education this month, we visited a very special COA location. 

COA Goes is home to 80 boys from diverse backgrounds, united by their journeys and dreams for a better future. Despite the upheaval in their lives, in 2024, the location achieved one of the highest school attendance rates among similar facilities, with almost every boy regularly attending classes.

Haitam Ka, a COA staff member at Goes, shared insights into this success:
“I think since they weren’t able to go [to school] for a long time, they really missed the opportunity to learn. Now we have a place that opened just 10 minutes from here, so most of them go.”

For these young learners, school represents more than just textbooks and exams; it’s a means to reunite with their families. Many of the boys see learning Dutch as a critical step toward being able to help their families navigate the immigration process in the future. Ka reflected on their motivation:

“If you ask them, a lot of them say: ‘’I do it for my family.’”

Beyond helping their families, COA Goes also wants to encourage the boys to think about their own futures through a new digital program. People for People donated five laptops to the location to support the initiative.

People for People delivering laptops and phones to support COA Goes' education initiatives.

Bridging the digital divide

Today, digital skills are essential to enter the workforce. Ka and his team will help the boys prepare for this by teaching them things like how to create a CV and how to work with programs like Word, Excel, etc. 

“We have some boys who have never seen a laptop and others who are very good with it. But everyone helps each other; there’s a lot of positive vibes,” Ka said.

Spending time with these boys, Ka has seen their ambitions and talents shining through. “A lot of boys have plans for the future — one wants to be a doctor, another wants to open a bike repair shop,” Ka said. “Everyone has his own plan.”

Kids at COA Goes taking part in a music session.

One boy from Syria loves to work with his hands. “He can do anything! He’s very handy,” Ka says fondly. The boy already set up his own bike repair services. On the weekends between 11:00 and 13:00 he repairs bikes for the other boys and even some local residents. 

COA Goes likes to encourage the boys to explore work opportunities and develop important skills for the future. As the COA is located in a hotel, some of the boys assist in the kitchen preparing meals, busing tables, and learning teamwork and responsibility. 

“We give them a little extra money for these jobs and they send almost all of it to their parents,” Ka explained. 

Thanks to our partners, we have also donated five phones to the location so the boys can keep in touch with their loved ones back home. For all of them, having to leave family behind is a struggle, especially for those coming from a warzone. The well-being of their families lies heavily on their minds, and being able to communicate with them provides some relief until they can see them once again. 

Two boys pose for a photos at COA Goes' Open Day.

Sports also play a vital role in their development. Ka coaches the location’s football team, which practices twice a week and competes against local clubs. Football serves as a universal language, fostering connections, discipline, and cultural understanding. As Ka puts it:

“They love football; everyone speaks the language of sport.”

A collective effort

Education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it’s about nurturing potential, fostering independence, and building the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. For unaccompanied minors, it’s a path to stability, self-reliance, and hope. As we celebrate the successes at COA Goes, let’s continue to support and champion these efforts to ensure every child, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the education they deserve.

Find out how you can help us make a tangible difference, one laptop, one lesson, and one life at a time.