Impact
From schoolbags to greeting cards: September with People for People
From schoolbags packed with care to greeting cards by children for children, September was a month of action and impact. Together with our partners and volunteers, we supported unaccompanied migrant children in the Netherlands, prepared thousands of essential items for crisis response, and stood in solidarity with communities worldwide.
Here are some highlights of what we achieved – together.
Our partners stepped in, as always
From contributing supplies to sharing expertise and manpower, our partners continued to strengthen our mission at every level. And the best part? Any company or non-profit can join in – because every action makes a difference.
Essential supplies
Hema, Amazon, Bol.com and many others provided crucial items to meet the urgent needs of displaced people globally and unaccompanied migrant children in the Netherlands. Thanks to their support, we reached hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children and prepared over 6,200 essential items for crisis response.
Voluntary manpower
The Amazon volunteer community once again inspired us. After packing 2,000 hygiene kits in May – later distributed to displaced families in Ukraine – volunteers came together in September to assemble 700 schoolbags filled with essentials for unaccompanied migrant children starting school in the Netherlands. This initiative was based on needs identified by COA at asylum seekers’ centers (AZCs) and coordinated through People for People.
Volunteers from partners like Picnic joined our operations team in the warehouse, working side by side with 12 other volunteers to prepare supplies at record speed. Together, they packed and lined up over 5,000 items for international response in a single day! a true testament to the power of collective effort.
Raising awareness
With our partner Young Impact, we carried out a School Takeover in Amsterdam. We spoke to students about our work supporting displaced people and had open conversations with them. The students then created handmade cards with personal messages – a small but deeply meaningful gesture for migrant children arriving alone in the Netherlands. We will be personally delivering these cards to reception centers in the coming months.
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Wendy Kakabeeke
Young Impact
Knowledge sharing
We hosted Jeroen Ketting, founder of Lifeline Ukraine, who shared powerful reflections from three years of crisis response in the middle of conflict. Jeroen walked us through his journey from entrepreneur to humanitarian highlighting what truly drives effective humanitarian work: trusted networks, dignity over delivery, transparency, and agility.
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Jeroen Ketting
Lifeline Ukraine
Behind the scenes and upcoming projects
While advancing our mission in the Netherlands, we also continued to support displaced communities around the world. We are currently assessing urgent needs in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine. Through close collaboration with grassroots organisations and our global network of partners, we’re preparing our next global crisis response.
To maximise our impact, we also strengthened our team. Jorieke de Jong is back! She now strengthens our partnerships team while also supporting our global crisis response efforts.
Looking ahead, we are preparing for our annual Winter Tours – delivering warm clothing to unaccompanied migrant children in the Netherlands. Together with COA, we are gathering needs so that once winter arrives, children not only stay warm, but also stay healthy, in school, and cared for.
Inspiring action, inspiring moments
Amid a turbulent world, we find strength in moments of impact.
- In Morocco, as the school year began, our partners shared photos of children using the educational spaces we built earlier this year to support earthquake recovery efforts in Al Haouz. Seeing children reading, painting, and playing safely reinforces the importance of long-term impact.
- On the International Day of Peace, we reflected on three years of action – from supporting food assistance for displaced families in Gaza and Lebanon, to Lifeline Ukraine’s creative workshops supporting children’s mental health.
- September also marked two years since the Al Haouz earthquake in Morocco. As we renewed our solidarity, we honoured the partnerships that made a real difference: from Better Shelter’s innovative relief housing units that enabled classrooms to be built in three villages in just three days, to Stichting Moustaqbel’s inspiring work on women’s education and empowerment.
Looking back, looking ahead
As we reflect on September, one thing is clear: impact happens when we come together. Whether it’s volunteers packing schoolbags, partners donating supplies, or young people writing messages of hope, every action counts.
At People for People, we believe small steps create big change – and with your continued support, we’ll keep turning compassion into lasting impact.
👉 Stay tuned – more action is on the way!
