A home for children and young people who, for the time being, cannot return to their own families.

My name is Katrien, I’m 39 years old and single. Helping children and young people to grow is my passion. I did this for 15 years in education, in both secondary and primary schools. As a Dutch teacher, but also briefly as a pupil support worker in a care team. The common thread running through all my interactions with children and young people is that their wellbeing and development always come first. It is abundantly clear that children need beacons: people they can rely on, with whom they feel safe, and to whom they can turn with all their questions, doubts, difficult moments and successes.

That is why I am very keen to become a foster parent: this means providing full-time care for three children who, for the time being, can no longer stay at home. To do this, I need to find a house with at least four bedrooms, in a quiet location and, ideally, with enough land to keep some animals. Animals offer unconditional love; they can provide an outlet for children to regain some stability, and they’re also fantastic helpers during difficult conversations.

But that costs money. I hope you’ll all be willing to do your bit, figuratively speaking, to make my lighthouse home a reality!

More info about the project:https://gezinshuizen.be/

I’ll of course keep you all updated. The Facebook page has already been set up:https://www.facebook.com/vuurtorenhuis