Fontein Dorcas

On 12 February 2010, the fourth Fontein Dorcas Event took place, with contributions from the Decos Technology Group. This gala evening and auction was organized by the Dorcas Bulb and Dune Region Entrepreneurs foundation to support poverty-stricken people in East Africa, amongst other things by means of healthcare, agriculture and water projects.

Bert Hendriks, Business Development director, traveled to Africa himself with Dorcas. “It is fantastic to see that our help really helps. The trip makes an enormous impression, everywhere you go you see grinding poverty. That makes it all the more impressive to see what we are managing to achieve. The volunteers in situ are justly proud of their project and are pleased to be able to share their pride with us. I have been able to see with my own eyes that many people now have a better existence thanks to help from Dorcas.” 

As well as medical care, Dorcas also provides preventive education about hygiene and HIV. Last year, large-scale campaigns were run in Kenya at primary and secondary schools, advertisements and posters went out and various local seminars were organized.

In the area of agriculture, Dorcas has trained more than 1000 farmers to cultivate crops which are able to grow with little irrigation and they have also invested in water pumps, making the farmers less dependent on rainwater for a good harvest.

In addition, Dorcas has been working to combat the shortage of (clean) drinking water. For example, a number of dams have been built to catch rainwater and many wells have been sunk.

‘Supporting this event may mean the start of a dignified existence for many people who would otherwise have had very limited opportunities in life,’ says Paul Voshol, chairman of Dorcas Bulb and Dune Region Entrepreneurs.