Important notice

Good day,

With this message I’m sorry to inform you the main board of the Kootje Foundation has decided to put all activities of the foundation on hold in 2023.

As for now this means no applications can be submitted. As soon as the foundation will return to her duties this message will be erased.

With kind regards on behalf of the board, Carina Bolkenstein-Bast Kootje Foundation

Kootje helps because without help there is nothing

Kootje was the name I gave to a little man who was the hero in stories I spontaneously told to my children at bedtime. Popping out of nowhere, with his special backpack from which he produced the right remedy for the situation, Kootje rescued many a poor unfortunate.

Knowing that when the tension would become unbearable and that my children would “dash in” to help with ideas of their own, I allowed situations to deteriorate to the point where it seemed impossible that Kootje could succeed. The ideas they offered Kootje to bring the tale to a happy end, were wonderful and surprising. Today the spirit of this little man lives on in the Kootje Foundation.

The Kootje logo consists of our family coat of arms and the motto ‘sine ope nihil’ by which I wish to express that Kootje will always dare to do the thing that needs to be done.

Bert Bolkenstein – Founder

What does Kootje do?

De Kootje Fundatiën

The main foundation has not been limited to specific objectives but has been set up to help people who would, for various reasons, remain ineligible to receive aid. Furthermore it is free to develop charity projects on it’s own accord should it see fit to do so. The Moekefund is to aid children, the Jambofund to aid projects in Africa and the Moosefund to aid environmental projects.

Request Conditions

  • Lasting positive outcome

    Kootje will support small scale private enterprises with goals to improve the quality of life and leave a lasting positive outcome on the community.

  • Engaging the local community

    Engaging the local community with the project is mandatory.

  • To Proceed independently

    After initial funding and once set up, the project should be able to proceed independently.

The Moeke Fund

Helps children

The Moeke Fund operates on a global basis supporting projects that, in one form or another, facilitate children’s welfare. This range of support can be extended to include young adults still within the learning age.

Moeke will support small-scale private enterprises with goals to improve the quality of life that have a lasting positive effect on the community. Engaging the local community with the project is mandatory. After initial funding it is hoped that a project, once set up, will be able to proceed independently.

Discover the Moeke Fund

The Jambo Fund

Helps people in Africa

The fund will support projects that help people in Africa move foreward. To this end, projects that help these people become financially independent and make sustainable contributions to their well-being are particularly welcome. Concerning financial independence, projects that help set up and develop local enterprises may apply for support from the Jambo Fund.

Small-scale is the key factor that all Jambo supported projects have in common. We give precedence to small-scale projects when deciding which ones to support.

Discover the Jambo Fund

The Moose Fund

Protect animals and environment

Enterprises that strive for the well – being of animals and preservation of the environment  are welcome to make an appeal for aid to The Moose Fund.

The  Moose Fund supports both Dutch and foreign projects. Although small scale projects are usually selected we are open to requests from large scale projects, especially from those active in environmental conservation.  It is of vital importance that the local community participates in the projects we support.

Discover the Moose fund

Our Organisation

Kootje consists of a main foundation and three sub-funds: Moeke, Jambo & Moose. The annual budget is divided equally between the main fund and the three sub-funds.

Foundation board
Bert Bolkenstein, chair
René van de Wolfshaar, treasurer
Jeanette Haagsma, board member

Board Moeke
Sanne Bolkenstein, chair
Carina Bolkenstein-Bast
Jeanette Haagsma
Gormlaith Hutchinson
Angelica Krouwer

 Board Jambo
Bas Bolkenstein, chair
Carina Bolkenstein-Bast
Martin Hutchinson
Odhran Hutchinson
Teun Scholtens
René van de Wolfshaar

Board Moose
Hendrike Bolkenstein, chair
Berber Bast
Carina Bolkenstein-Bast
Isa Goldschmeding