Over the past few months, more than 1,100 children have contributed to the discussion about how the money from the Children's Wallet should be spent. Just like last year, poverty is the number one concern. "I can hardly imagine there being children without a bag and shoes."
The Kinderwallet is a unique initiative of Kinderpostzegels, where children can choose the allocation of a special fund. During interactive workshops, they learn about challenges children may face and consider which children need extra support.
By helping to decide how the money from the Children's Wallet is spent, children experience that their voice matters and that they can make a difference for others.
Children know better than anyone what is going on
We believe it's perfectly natural for children to have a say in how the money is spent. After all, they know what's going on better than anyone else. By seeing the world through children's eyes, we can make choices that better meet their needs. This year, for example, a particularly large number of children expressed the importance of the love and support of a pet. This is a completely new theme for us, and we'll be exploring it in the coming weeks.
Poverty at number 1
Poverty remains a key issue for children. That's why this year, more than half of the funds from the Children's Wallet will go to projects for children living in poverty. A good example is the Poverty Fund. They were the first to receive a grant this year, and in a very special way. Children from the Gevers-Deutz Terwee School in Oegstgeest, who themselves participated in the Children's Wallet, presented them with a check. The Poverty Fund will use the money to help children in very concrete ways, for example, with personal care products and fun outings. The children were impressed by the Poverty Fund's visit: "I can hardly imagine that there are children without a bag and shoes" – Sam (10).
Regional Children's Wallet thanks to Fonds 1818
Thanks to our partner, Fonds 1818, we once again had a regional edition of the Kinderportemonnee (Children's Wallet) this year. Over 200 students from South Holland contributed ideas on how to best spend the €200,000 contribution in their own region. We will announce soon how we will distribute this generous amount.