Brazil
In November 2024, more than six months after significant flooding in Brazil, the John Cockerill Foundation had the opportunity to accompany the Belgian delegation on an economic mission. This allowed the Foundation to meet several partners committed to improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations.
This is notably the case for the Boqueirão community, located near Heliópolis on the outskirts of São Paulo, which comprises around 7,500 people living in 1,500 homes. Although the wooden houses have been replaced with masonry constructions after thirty years, the dwellings remain very fragile. The area also suffers from a severe lack of essential public services such as healthcare and education.
Ukraine
Gurtum Charity Foundation is a collective of volunteers committed to effectively rebuilding damaged buildings following the war that began on February 24, 2022. Their main objective is to help victims restore urgently needed housing and infrastructure in unoccupied territories. They have successfully restored a range of infrastructures, including residential buildings, schools and outpatient clinics. Beyond reconstruction, their initiatives extend to clearing debris, cleaning up the area, organizing various community events, and providing general assistance to those affected by the destruction.
Belgium
The St-Raphaël Nursery is one of the institutions of ACIS (Association Chrétienne des Institutions Sociales et de Santé - Christian Association of Social and Health Institutions - active through 64 institutions in the medico-social sector in Wallonia and Brussels, with over 5,500 employees). The Nursery is a Early Childhood Specialized Care Service approved by the O.N.E. (Office de la Naissance et de l'Enfance - Birth and Childhood Office) to provide accommodation for 24 children aged from 0 to 7 in 2 living units, under a mandate from the "Aide à la Jeunesse" ("Youth Assistance") or a private request for social reasons. The Nursery is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The units are exclusive living quarters for the children.
Belgium
In the Walloon region, 128,000 families have to cope with the upheaval caused by their child's diagnosis of disability. The news brings with it profound changes. Often, one of the parents has to give up his or her job to care for the child. Additional disability-related expenses pile up, putting almost half of these families in a precarious financial situation. The child's lack of autonomy creates a high level of dependence on the parents throughout his or her life, impacting not only family dynamics, but also social and marital relationships. Nearly 80% of these parents separate. What's more, they often face a veritable "obstacle course" to obtain information and solutions adapted to their daily lives. These multiple challenges hamper their ability to fully support their child, compromising their own personal development as well as their physical and mental health.