Impact
From volunteer to connector: How Jespe mobilised his network to strengthen humanitarian aid
Sometimes creating impact starts with something small.
Jespe first got involved with People for People through Picnic, one of our founding partners and a long-standing supporter of our mission. While exploring volunteer opportunities, he joined a volunteer day packing school bags for children in Ukraine.
What he didn’t know at the time was that those few hours would lead to much more.
Seeing an opportunity
During the volunteer day, Jespe spoke with members of the People for People team and learned about one of our recurring challenges: transport.
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Jespe Beukema
People Partner at Picnic
Not long afterwards, a transport request came in. Jespe reached out to former colleagues and contacts from his network, hoping to help arrange a solution.
Turning one request into much more
Through Jespe’s introduction, People for People connected with Gosselin, an international moving and logistics company.
What started as a request for a single transport quickly grew into an ongoing partnership. Gosselin provided three transport runs free of charge, enabling humanitarian goods to be moved where they were needed most.
Those transports helped move:
- 66 pieces of school furniture destined for Ukraine, including desks, tables and gym benches
- Nearly 1,900 clothing items for humanitarian support
- Essential goods that otherwise would have required significant transport costs
Beyond transport, Jespe also contributed by packing school bags, sharing his professional network, helping identify potential sources of school furniture, and increasing awareness of People for People’s work.
The power of your network
For Jespe, the experience reinforced an important lesson: creating impact isn’t only about donating money or volunteering your time.
”It was a small effort for me to make a few phone calls and send some messages. But those small actions helped move essential goods to where they were needed. It confirms something I strongly believe: asking for help is always worth it.”
His story is a reminder that everyone has something valuable to contribute, whether that’s time, expertise, resources or connections. And as Jespe says:
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Jespe Beukema
People Partner at Picnic
Why partnerships matter
Through the commitment of volunteers like Jespe, and the support of partners such as Picnic and Gosselin, we can respond more quickly and effectively to humanitarian needs.
The nature of our work is rarely predictable. Every project requires a different approach, and the more organisations we have willing to think alongside us, the more flexible and responsive we can be.
Partners like Gosselin are exactly the kind of organisations we love working with: practical, solution-oriented and willing to go beyond a single request to help create lasting impact.
Could your organisation help?
Every company has something valuable to offer. As Jespe puts it:
”If it’s within your possibilities – and often it is sooner than you think – just do something. It doesn’t matter how big or small. In just a few hours of volunteering, I helped bring joy to children in Ukraine through something as simple as a school bag. Take a moment to think about what you could do to help someone else. Even if it’s only once, it makes both your life and someone else’s a little better.”
At People for People, we see this every day. Many people and organisations want to help but don’t always know where to start. Our role is to turn that willingness into action by connecting people, skills, resources and opportunities where they can make the greatest difference.
Whether it’s transport capacity, professional expertise, products, facilities, employee volunteering or access to a wider network, meaningful impact often starts with something you already have.
If Jespe’s story shows anything, it’s that impact often starts with a simple conversation.
Let’s explore what we can achieve together.
