A socially-engaged bank: €500,000 for vulnerable children

No fewer than 362 projects were submitted, clear evidence of the considerable need for support for such initiatives in this country.  The King Baudouin Foundation selected three charity organisations in each of Belgium’s ten regions, from which a committee in each region composed of volunteer workers from among the BNP Paribas Fortis staff then chose a regional ‘Champion’.  The chosen charities will each receive a grant of €25,000 this year and, if they receive a positive assessment, will be granted a further €25,000 next year.

Support throughout the year

Throughout the year, BNP Paribas Fortis will also provide in-house publicity to those ten organisations to help ensure that they also benefit from volunteering activities and fund-raising efforts organised by the Bank. BNP Paribas Fortis has set up a social action programme whereby staff are encouraged to donate part of their working time to one of these good causes.

Listed below are brief details of the 10 Champions and their initiatives.

KRAS JEUGDWERK (Antwerp)

This charity organisation runs a variety of leisure activities for children and young people aged from 6 to 25, focusing on areas where poverty is common and school dropout rates high, public spaces are few and leisure opportunities very limited.

PIN:  'Partners in Integration' (Flemish Brabant)

This non-profit helps a number of communes in Flemish Brabant to integrate residents of foreign origin into local life and local society.

VAGEVUUR OPEN JEUGDWERK (East Flanders)

This not-for-profit organisation serves a diverse range of publics, working in such fields as youth homes, art projects, social entrepreneurship and outreach initiatives.

ATHENA SCHOOL, Kortrijk (West Flanders)

The Athena School at Courtrai is a school which, in addition to its core tasks, works on behalf of deprived persons who do not enjoy access to any form of leisure activity.

OPEN THUIS (Limburg)

This charity helps children in deprived circumstances to find their way into sports, cultural and social activities. In many cases, these children have a parent living with a mental disability and often themselves have learning difficulties.

SUN CHILD (Easy Banking Centre)

This charity organisation works in conjunction with healthcare professionals in order to improve the well-being – in medical, moral, social and financial terms – of sick children and their families, frequently from disadvantaged backgrounds.

HAPPY FARM (Brussels)

This charity was set up for the purpose of enabling city children to find out about farming life, in the firm belief that having contact with animals and their environment helps to empower children and make them more independent.

LES JEUNESSES MUSICALES DE MONS-BORINAGE (Hainaut)

The aim of this not-for-profit organisation is to awaken in young people an interest in music and initiate them into musical expression and creativity. To this end, the organisation runs ‘educational concerts’ in schools, beginning at infant level, which offer formal teaching content, plus also various workshops outside the school setting.

C-PAJE: ‘Collectif pour la Promotion de l'Animation Jeunesse-Enfance’  (Liège)

This ‘Grouping for the Promotion of Child & Youth Education’ uses different approaches to education and training for children and young people from various backgrounds. Working through its network, the non-profit regularly runs new initiatives and professional challenges designed to help the young participants to become active, responsible, critical and caring members of society.

SERVICE D’AIDE AUX JEUNES EN MILIEU OUVERT (Wanalux: Walloon Brabant, Namur, Luxembourg)

This ‘Help Service for Young People in an Open Environment’ provides assistance to vulnerable youngsters by guiding them towards greater independence and self-determination, social integration, recognition, self-esteem, self-confidence and responsible attitudes.