DARA Europe’s work is made possible by gifts from individuals and donations from corporations, funds, foundations and other organizations.
Support us with a monthly or annual donation by completing the authorization form on our website. Or transfer a chosen amount to NL50RABO0136128858 in the name of DARA Europe.
You can also join us as a volunteer, and by shopping through Target Shop. Check here for all opportunities to help build a bright future for children in Cambodia.
DARA Europe is committed to a better future for children in Andong, Cambodia. We support the projects, programs and facilities of the local NGO Stellar Child Care Organization (SCCO). SCCO provides education, family support and other activities to strengthen the community.
DARA Europe’s financial contributions enable (preparatory) kindergarten classes, tutoring, educational weekend activities, scholarships, coaching, apprenticeships, micro-credits and food packages, among other things. Read more about what we mean to Andong.
A donation to a foundation with ANBI status, such as DARA Europe, is income tax deductible. Since 2023, a periodic donation is deductible for up to €250,000 per year.
For more information on the tax benefits of periodic gifting, visit the Internal Revenue Service website.
DARA Europe’s projects are mainly financed by donations. These donations allow us to provide the help that is most needed locally. We usually buy relief goods locally. In this way we avoid high costs for storage and transport, and we stimulate local employment and activity.
DARA Europe is an ANBI-registered institution. ANBI status means we meet legal guidelines for integrity, administration and transparency, among other things.
DARA Europe guarantees that donations fully benefit SCCO’s programs and projects. In cooperation with our established partners in Cambodia, New Zealand and Australia, we ensure accurate, honest and transparent financial administration. Each year, SCCO’s international team prepares a budget, which is submitted to DARA Europe for approval.
The SCCO team in Andong records all expenses in an online accounting system, which can be accessed in real time by board members. Our accounting firm audits the financial records every month.
Read more about our (financial) goals and results in our annual reports and policies.
Through our website, social media, newsletters and events in the Netherlands, we recruit donors, sponsors and volunteers who contribute to our mission.In addition, we receive funding from Dutch funds, such as institutions involved in development cooperation, education, child welfare and poverty alleviation, among others. For example, we cooperate with the Dutch foundation Vastenactie, which has supported DARA Europe’s projects during Lent for several years. DARA Europe does not focus on government grants for development work.
DARA Europe is a non-profit organization with a modest budget. We are committed to meeting the quality requirements of transparency and efficiency of the CBF seal of approval. CBF certification involves one-time and annual costs, which are relatively high for our budget. Therefore, DARA Europe is not (yet) affiliated with the CBF seal of approval.
As a foundation with ANBI status, we meet basic requirements for responsible and effective use of our financial resources. Read more about our (financial) policy, our budget and our working methods in our annual reports and policy plans.
The Dutch foundation DARA Europe is committed to a better future for children in Andong, Cambodia. We support the projects, programs and facilities of the local NGO Stellar Child Care Organization (SCCO). SCCO provides education, family support and other activities to strengthen the community.
DARA Europe was founded in 2012 with the goal of making the community in Andong healthy, safe and resilient. Our work builds on initiatives started in 2009 to help (orphaned) children growing up in high poverty. Much has improved since then. Work has been done to improve housing, schools and roads. This has created a positive perspective for the people of Andong. But long-term support is still badly needed. For children in Andong, a good school, a house with a sturdy roof and a hygienic toilet, three healthy meals a day, a place to play safely and care when needed are all but taken for granted.
Our end goal is for Andong to be an independent and resilient community that no longer needs external support. In the coming years, we will continue to support SCCO so that this transition takes place.
We are aware that there is poverty in many places in the world. Also in the Netherlands there are children and families who deserve support to build a good future.
The board members and volunteers who work for DARA Europe are personally touched by the difficult conditions in which the children and families in Andong live every day.
Initiator Tirza Voss visited Cambodia in 2009 as a volunteer, and was struck by the harrowing conditions in the Andong slum. Many children lived on the streets, without sufficient food, clean water, hygiene, care or education. Upon her return to the Netherlands, Tirza told the Paulus Church in IJsselstein about her experiences. Ruud Bakker, who heard her story, spontaneously organized an action with the church to raise money. The idea for Dutch aid to the children in Andong was born. In 2012, Tirza and Ruud started DARA Europe to structurally support the sustainable development of the community in Andong from the Netherlands.
DARA Europe explicitly focuses on a compact region, where there is a very high need for community support and strengthening. Our focus allows us to create a direct and lasting impact.
Local NGO SCCO has developed a diverse and effective range of projects, programs and facilities for Andong over the past decade. There is a focus on education, safety, hygiene, health care, education and employment. The focus is on structural activities to break the cycle of poverty.
SCCO’s staff and volunteers in Andong have been active in the community for many years. Usually more than five years, and sometimes since the start in 2012. As a result, SCCO is able to create locally tailored solutions that are fully in line with the needs, questions, wishes and situation in Andong. SCCO’s local team develops all activities based on input from the local community in Andong. The work takes place under the direction of international experts from SCCO. SCCO also researches projects and models that further contribute to community self-reliance and resilience.
SCCO monitors the progress and results of the education programs in Andong and reports regularly to the board of DARA Europe (and to the other permanent partners in New Zealand and Australia). In addition, SCCO collects feedback from the community in Andong, and regular evaluations of activities take place. As a result, we know, among other things, that the number of participants in the educational programs for students is steadily increasing, and that there is increasing demand for the preparatory kindergarten classes.
Local NGO SCCO has developed a diverse and effective range of projects, programs and facilities for Andong over the past decade. There is a focus on education, safety, hygiene, health care, education and employment. The focus is on structural activities to break the cycle of poverty.
Everything is about children developing in a loving, safe and caring environment. Central to this is high-quality education for children and young adults, and practical support for the families in which they live.
Read personal stories about the positive impact of our assistance to Andong.
DARA Europe runs thanks to a solid network of active volunteers. Our volunteers initiate, support and organize sponsorship activities, often in close cooperation with sponsors, schools, churches and other organizations. We are always looking for new volunteers to join our team. Please feel free to contact us for more information about volunteering.
DARA Europe supports the team at SCCO in Andong, which regularly hosts international volunteers. The content of the work is always tailored to the knowledge and qualities of the individual volunteer. Usually there is a need for expertise in management, education and/or extra curricular activities such as music and sports. Experience shows that a period of three months is ideal to make a valuable contribution to the development of the volunteer, the team and the community in Andong.
Read volunteer Robin’s experience here , and feel free to contact us for more information about volunteering.
DARA Europe explicitly focuses on a compact region, where there is a very great need for community support and strengthening. The village of Andong in Cambodia has specific problems. With the development of activities precisely tailored to the concrete current situation, we provide direct and lasting positive change.
DARA Europe is convinced that not only large charities, but also small NGOs contribute to a better future for people living in dire circumstances. We see cooperation between different types of organizations as the basis for a more holistic and effective fight against poverty.
SCCO’s on-site team in Andong is made up of professionals and volunteers, consisting of a manager, social workers, an education manager, and teachers.
SCCO’s staff and volunteers in Andong have been working for the foundation for many years. Usually more than five years, and sometimes since the start in 2012. Thanks to the support of DARA Europe (and the other permanent partners), SCCO offers market-based salaries and good fringe benefits, such as training opportunities. In addition, SCCO provides team building and a pleasant working atmosphere.
Want to know more about DARA Europe? Feel free to get in touch.
