"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"
- Winston Churchill
It may seem strange, a quote from Winston Churchill that applies to the activities of a foundation set up to improve social welfare after the war in Yugoslavia. Yet this is anything but strange, especially when you consider that he even received the honorary doctorate from Leiden University in 1946 on the recommendation of Professor Cleveringa.
Churchill had the ability to realize that failure doesn't have to mean failure. After all, his many attempts to achieve peace had not always been successful, yet his struggle ultimately achieved the desired goal. This courage is admirable and that is exactly what applies to the volunteers of our foundation. In recent weeks they have shown themselves courageous in various situations, but they have never given up. For example, some volunteers were nervous about the collection week: unkind residents and the fear of rejection dominated the run-up to the collection. Once engaged, however, they have shown themselves to be powerful. Not only did the Leiden residents turn out to be much more generous and sympathetic than expected, but slamming doors and unpleasant reactions turned out to be no reason to show less commitment. The collection week has therefore yielded a record amount of no less than € 3847,58, an amount to be proud of.
Another example of the volunteers' courage is participating in the Leiden Marathon to raise money through sponsorship. The volunteers are not all in top condition or well trained, but were willing to run every kilometer in character. They showed determination and group spirit: no one was left alone and everyone was taken into account. This achievement is again one to be proud of. Looking back on the past weeks, I can only conclude that I am very proud to be a board member of such a beautiful foundation, thank you volunteers!
Janneke Rietman, Board Member PR, Stichting Wij Helpen Daar
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