The Oranje Fonds puts organizations that tackle poverty in the spotlight
The Oranje Fonds has selected this year’s nominees for the Appeltje van Oranje award. Each year, the Fund presents these awards to three social organizations in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. This year’s theme is ‘Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Together’. The Appeltjes will be presented by Queen Máxima to three winners on Thursday, October 8th. The Caribbean nominees are Trampolin pa Trabao (Aruba) and Mega D Youth Foundation (St Eustatius). The other eight nominees are:
- Stichting Nu De Toekomst - Wageningen
- Stichting Social Klus - Roosendaal
- Armoedecoalitie – Utrecht
- Get a Grip – Humanitas Eindhoven
- Thuis in West – Krachtgezin Rotterdam
- Stichting Doors Wide Open – Goor
- Stek – Buurt en Lukas Den Haag
- Stichting Spaarkracht (landelijk)
Ten-day voting period and pitch day
Fifty organizations were in the running for one of the ten nominations. The public decided on the first nominee during the ten-day online voting period in May. This was Stichting Social Klus, which received 3,400 votes out of over 40,000. The remaining contenders gathered in Curaçao and Groenekan during the pitch days. They presented their projects to each other and to a jury. The jury in Curaçao consisted of Etienne Ys (former politician), Glenn Thodé (board member of the Oranje Fonds), and Pablo Aguirre (staff member of the Oranje Fonds).
Breaking the cycle of poverty together
Poverty is a persistent problem in the Caribbean. Its impact is significant, affecting health, opportunities, and the ability to participate in society. One in three people in the Caribbean lives in poverty. Existing poverty policies are often complicated or insufficient, leaving people unable to find the support they need. Social initiatives are therefore essential in reducing and preventing poverty. They are close to the people, have their trust, and offer the support that people need.
For this edition of the Appeltjes van Oranje awards, the Oranje Fonds is looking for organizations that help break the cycle of poverty and debt in a sustainable way. These are organizations that empower people with knowledge and skills. An important criterion for candidate nomination is that the organizations aim to prevent or reduce poverty.
The Appeltjes van Oranje
With the Appeltjes van Oranje, the Oranje Fonds honors three initiatives that are committed to an inclusive and connected society. Initiatives that are unique, creative, and meaningful and have been active for at least two years are eligible. The theme of the Appeltjes changes every year. The prize consists of a bronze statuette designed and created by Princess Beatrix and a cash prize of 25,000 euros. This money can be spent freely within the scope of the winning initiative’s objectives.