Reviews
 

CHARITY WORK & CONCERTS

I would love to tell you something about my need, to mean something to people, animals, children, the elderly, the disabled, wildlife and the environment. 

By sharing some stories about these events, I hope to inspire you to do the same! 
If we all make a small contribution once in a while, we can make the world a better place!

Causes of my Heart

As a child I learned the importance to always mean something to others and how important it is to contribute something to the world. At a young age, I developed a love for nature and I have great respect for my mother, who, as the oldest politician in the Netherlands, devoted herself to minorities and the elderly until she was 86.
My childhood consisted of bird watching, nightly quests for spotting owls, taking in a neglected parrot, many stray cats from the streets, a dog from Spain, a cat from Greece, helping stray cats in Puerto Rico and working as a volunteer at Stichting AAP, the Monkey Foundation, Elephant Nature Park, campaigning against trophy hunting in Africa, organizing concerts and music afternoons in institutions for the elderly and disabled, to organizing, hosting and performing in charity concerts, fundraising dinners, with my students, alone for events, and together with other artists. I am also often asked to perform for charities such as Orange Babies and the World Wildlife Fund.
As a singer, pianist, with orchestra, solo, performing, organizing and of course “behind the scenes”, I get so intensely excited about these kinds of projects.

The money from the ticket sales, the extra donations in cash and sometimes in kind, all went to the charities.

Charities where the money ends up well

Organizations, of which I believe that the money ends up well! These are, for example, organizations that I got to know during travels, such as Elephant Nature Park, but also foundations and organizations closer to home, such as the Animal Shelter, Organizations for the elderly, the Alzheimer Foundation, or a foundation of a Dutch person who has set up an orphanage abroad.
Please click on the links to find out more about these charities or, better, make a donation yourself:

Here you can find some of the charities that I supported throughout the years by organizing the above:

Nature and Wildlife Charities

Humanitary Charities

Stories about some of the charities

Stories of some of the concerts, fundraising events et cetera, that I have organised, hosted or performed at. I will share more later, and of course there will be more in the future!

Orange Babies Fundraising Dinner

Orange Babies helps mothers and children in their fight for an HIV-free future. A lot of people don’t know that with the proper medication and care you can prevent HIV transmission. So when a pregnant woman is infected this doesn’t automatically mean the baby will be born with HIV too. On the contrary: since Orange Babies was founded, they have saved ten thousands of babies. Orange Babies is active in 20 projects in South Africa, Namibia and Zambia where the HIV infection rate is high and help is not available.
Orange Babies distinguishes itself by using creativity for fundraising, with which they often remain true to their roots in the make-up and fashion design world. original events for our supporters such as fundraising dinners, with spectacular performances, art and inspiring speakers.
In 2013, I helped with a fundraising dinner with a performance, the presentation, and an exclusive auction. All funds went to Orange Babies.
Support Orange Babies here: https://orangebabies.nl/en/evenementen-orange-babies

Wimbo Choir of Africa

The Wimbo Children’s Choir of Africa and Gifts of Life Charity Organization are founded by Ugandan born Julius Mawejj. Julius now educates about the situation in Uganda (throughout Europe) and founded the “Fund for the Children of Uganda”. He also gives African workshops, raising money for these children, in his home country, who live in poverty there. 

In the spring of 2019 I organized an African afternoon on location in Amstelveen. Julius and his companion, engineer Anthony Kiweewa immersed the participants in the rich culture of Africa. Here after they gave a fantastic show of song, dance and instruments. I organized a market for them  where the audience could buy African instruments, clothes and other souvenirs. All the funds were used to build a new school building for the children.

It was a great success and as you can see in the pictures the children were very happy with the donations in cash and in kind! The fund is currently being used to build the new school. Here the children can learn, but also sing beautifully in their “Wimbo Choir of Africa”.

Here is a sweet thank you from the children on video.

Click here for more information on the Facebook page.

Born Free Foundation

The Born Free Foundation strikes a special chord in my heart.
The goal and the many areas that this organization is committed to, are so terribly large and important…
Wild animals do not belong in a cage. As a former wildlife volunteer for a.o. Stichting Aap, I have seen the suffering of wild animals from Africa with my own eyes. It is time for everyone to act and contribute to the end of this.

Born Free is committed to wildlife welfare and Compassionate Conservation. They want to end the exploitation and suffering of individual animals, whether in captivity or in the wild. For a future where animals and humans can coexist and where endangered and threatened species are protected for generations to come. 

The proceeds from ticket sales for my annual charity concert in 2019 plus additional donations went to this charity.

Click here for the website: https://www.bornfree.org.uk/animals

Donate here: https://www.bornfree.org.uk/donate

Christian, the Lion

Watch the world-famous video about Christian, the Lion from Harrods, with which Born Free became famous: https://youtu.be/EZ-da0AZcRU
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bornfreefoundation

 

Elephant Nature Park, Thailand

In 2016 I made a tour throughout Thailand and I came into contact with this organization, who take care of these gray good-natured giants after a life full of hard work, abuse and loneliness. After lying in the rain with an elephant in the river, I had noticed how especially gentle these animals are, despite their hard existence, often with many horrors. Its founder, Lek Saengduean Chailert, now has a large area in Thailand with an ever-growing group of elephants, often old, sometimes orphaned, often blind, beaten, lonely or deaf. It is heartwarming to see how she and her many volunteers, many of whom are transient travelers like us, do everything they can to offer these noble animals a last safe haven. In 2013, I raised so much money at a benefit concert for my students that we “adopted” two elephants for a year, plus a contribution to the reconstruction of some indoor enclosures. More information, visit the website of Elephant Nature Park. 

Quelli Di Nessuno, stray dog rescue and shelter in Taurianova, Italy

Quelli Di Nessuno literally means “those who belong to no one“. It is the heartwarming initiative of Antonio Viola and Laura Grana.

In southern Italy, unfortunately, many dogs are still left on the street, abused or suffer from bread breeding. Tony and Laura find these dogs and give them the medical and loving care and shelter they need. Besides the care of many animals on their property, that needs constant expanding, they often search hours during the night for abused, scared dogs that have been spotted by people. They are not subsidized by the Italian government and are completely dependent on donations from benevolent people.

In 2020, I organized a small online charity concert during the lockdown. The tickets paid for by the audience, that watched the concert from the Netherlands to Ibiza and Croatia, and extra donations went to Quelli Di Nessuno. It was beautiful. Thanks for caring once more!
Watch the videos and become a regular supporter, just like me. Click here for Tony and Laura’s website: http://quellidinessunoditonyelaura.it/
The Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/quellidinessuno
Watch a video about their work here: https://www.facebook.com/100311658170160/videos/642530566384787
This charity is of course trustworthy one as well and registered at buonacausa.org

 

Bal Anand Foundation, India

One of the first charity concerts I organized was for the Bal Anand Foundation. This organization, of Dutch initiative, built a care farm for handicapped stray and orphaned children in Bombay, India. The proceeds of this concert went to this charity. Also, the children of my youngest students donated stuffed animals (see photos). It was very heart warming to see the pictures, they took in India, with these small extra gifts. It made it extra personal for us.
In 2010, I organized a vocal coaching holiday for singers to a beautiful estate in Limousin, France, and part of the proceeds of this, including my contribution to the rent of the building, went to this charity.

Do you also want to mean something to these children? Look at news for more info about this concert or at links to find out more about this fantastic project!
Click here to go to the website of Bal Anand: https://www.stichtingbalanand.nl/

 

Pegasus Society, Israel

The Pegasus Society in Israel was founded in 2007 by Zvika Tamuz with the support of WAP (World Animal Protection, formerly WSPA, for which I previously organized a concert for the Rotary Club, among others).

Pegasus is committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming neglected horses and donkeys in Israel and relies on public donations and support. Their goal is to educate the public on the proper treatment of these animals and to continue the rescue and rehabilitation work at their “Susita” sanctuary, where the animals receive much-needed physical care and emotional support, as well as lots of love. .

Click here for the Pegasus website: https://www.pegasus-israel.org/en/home
and donate to the “Apple”, “Hay”, or “Carrot” fund, or adopt an animal.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Pegasusfoundation

Nieuwer-Amstel Animal Shelter, Amstelveen

Sometimes I also look for the charities closer to home. The Nieuwer-Amstel Animal Shelter has always been a well-known concept for many Amstelveen inhabitants and that is why I was able to donate funds and donations in kind to this fantastic initiative from the the 2013 student concert.
The animals also had a warm Christmas. Thanks to everyone who has donated!

Unfortunately, the shelter was closed last year due to budget cuts of Gemeente Amstelveen. We are very sorry about this. Fortunately, we were able to make our contribution.
The Facebook page of the Animal Home was https://www.facebook.com/Dierentehuis.Amstelveen

DOA (Animal Shelter Amsterdam)

The first in-person concert again after the lockdown! (Although we have also allowed our benefit concerts to take place online, see elsewhere on this page). This concert in 2022 was once again for a charity close to home: DOA, or Animal Shelter Amsterdam. DOA is the biggest animal shelter in Amsterdam, and they do fantastic work! Every day they see animals that are so sick, damaged or traumatized that it takes considerable effort to give them a second chance. They continue to work on that with dedication and confidence!
The concert was a great success and the people (and animals) of DOA were extremely happy with a car full of donations in kind plus the proceeds from ticket sales. <3

Support DOA, help the animals get treated and cared for with a financial donation: https://www.doamsterdam.nl/steun-doa/

Or make the animals happy with a donation in kind. Their “wish list” is on this page: https://www.doamsterdam.nl/steun_doa_/donaties-in-natura/

Thank you!