People’s Trust celebrates 20-Year Anniversary

vlnr.: Tom Hoogenboom, Ronny Soonieus, Fons Veerkamp en Dirk van de Wijngaard

On 30 march 2010 People’s Trust Netherlands celebrated its 20-year anniversary..
In the early morning the boardmembers Ronny and Fons had decorated our office in Leiderdorp with balloons and a text with “cordial congratulations with the 20 year anniversary”.
Counselor Tom and Dirk came a bit later with coffee and cake. Memories were retrieved and especially the results wich were achieved, like the building of 160 refuges for rescued girls, schools, elderly homes and orphanages in India and Nepal.
The establishment of two rescue teams in India (STOP and Rescue Foundation, the name which our chairman Dirk coined himself).
The rescue of 2100 girls from the awfull borthels of India and also the total shelter, care and education for these children. Schoolcosts for thousands of children.
Costs for trials for the condemnation of 400 kidnappers and pims.
Care for the elderly and help with medical care like the heartoperation of a Nepalese boy, Summan, who due to PTN was successfully performed in the LUMC in Utrecht (Netherlands) and the successfull kidney operation of a Nepalese boy who now works with his wife and child in our refuge for rescued girls in Nepal!
Rescues that were filmed with a hidden camera and even were broadcasted on the Dutch TV, etc.
Chairman Dirk thanked everybody for their (unpaid) volunteering and rejoiced already for the coming years to continue together on the same footing!
After the coffee everybody started again their work at the office
Ronny with the accounting which is controled by Tom (accoutant),
Fons (webmaster) weer druk met de website,
Dirk, sending e-mails and calling to donators and interested people.
Boardmember Leo Hakkaart, employed by the Ministry of Defence unfortunately could not get a day of, because all his free days already were reserved for his voluntarely travel to Nepal, where as an optician he will again make happy hundreds of children with good glasses.
We also received congratulations from our boardmember Professor Roma from STOP in India.

Founder and chairman Dirk van de Wijngaard:
“My mother was raped and killed in Leiden when I was only an 8 year old boy.
I am sure she would have been proud of the work of People’s Trust; that we, with the danger of our own lifes, rescued kidnapped girls from the horrible borthels of India and care for them after the rescues.
My mother is and will stay my inspiration and I thank her for the simple loving education which I received from her.
Also I want to thank all donators who have supported PTN”.


Treasurer Ronny Sooieus:
Soon after I was in the VUT, I had contact with People’s Trust.
The work of this foundation and the inspiration of Dirk, made a big impression on me and I knew immediately: I want to make myself usefull here.
When I see all that has been accomplished the last 20 years, I really love it.
I hope that the foundation can keep on doing this beautifull job and I still am determined to go on.

Secretary Leo Hakkaart:
Never in my life I will do volunteering for an other organisation, because I met my real friends at the foudation People’s Trust Netherlands, where already for 19 years I am working as an optician for the poorest in India and Nepal.
People’s Trust the best way I say:
A little select volunteer group which, with a passion for righteousness, does its best to help the poorest in India and Nepal in giving them a chance for a dignified existence.
I am proud to be able to contribute to this.
Leo Hakkaart

Counselor Tom Hoogenboom:
In 20 years People’s Trust, Dirk has worked from the heart together with the volunteers, to give children and adults in Nepal and India a future.
People’s Trust is an example of how a little organisation can reach big things.
Our Wish is that the work Dirk and the volunteers in the Netherlands, but also in Nepal and India, may be continued for many years.
Family Hoogenboom

Board member Fons Veerkamp:
More than 18 years ago I came along a detour in contact with People’s Trust. Already some time I wanted to do something usefull at last.
Someone told me that somewhere in Leiderdorp one Dirk van de Wijngaard lived, who had founded shortly the foundation People’s Trust. Because of my work I could give him especially technical support which he needed at that moment.
The first 14 years we worked together on the garret of Dirk to give People’s Trust the face of a real foundation. After that everything came to a rapid.
Dirk is a special en passionate man with lots of humor, but in the first place a real friend.
It is intended that work is done no matter what time. He does not hesitate to phone me at 4 o’clock at night to add immediately a page to the website.
I asked:”Are you alright?” To me a perfect normal assumption.
His answer was even more supprising: ”You’re only just picking your nose!”
That can happen sometimes, but at 4 AM I can’t remember this.
Further defence not possible anymore; at 6 AM we were ready.
We always told each other frankly the truth and this gave little misunderstandings.
-- Two times a year our newsletter appears --
There is always commotion then!
About 2 months before we are going to press, the selfassured Dirk changes in a nervous, panicing man
“The letter has to appear and we still have nothing!”
“We have to start now!”
I say :”There is enough other work to do, next month is early enough!”
“ Which work can be more important than .. the newsletter .. ?”
Someone asked me:”Do you never say something about that?”
“Yes yes”
I say:”Dirk, when you change, I leave!”
Fortunately all these years he stayed the same.
Even God gives up to do something about that in the future.
Also the newsletter of the summer 2010 comes again as usual on time.
“Boys, you are worth your weight in gold!”
He is happy again……
“What is more beautifull than our dynamic team (Dirk, Ronny and Fons)?!”
I am very Lucky that I can do this work at our foundation and will continue till I fall. This will not be admitted, he would wake me with a box on my ears.
“Sleeping you can do still in 100 years!”
Do I still have to add -something-?!
In our newsletters and flyers you can see everything that is really realized in the past years!