Woord en Daad

What Woord en Daad does

Stichting Woord en Daad is a Dutch Christian development foundation headquartered in Gorinchem, Netherlands, founded circa 1970. It operates in 18-20 countries across West and Central Africa, East Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, delivering programs in education, inclusive agribusiness, sustainable water, child protection, youth employment, emergency relief, and policy influencing. The organization is guided by a Biblical framework of justice and mercy and applies a 'Southern leadership' model in which local partner organizations drive program design and execution.

The foundation's revenue is generated primarily through private donations — including child sponsorship, fixed donor memberships, one-time gifts, and legacies — supplemented by government subsidies (capped at 30% of total income to preserve independence), net proceeds from 31 second-hand shops across the Netherlands, fair-trade merchandise sales, and event-based fundraising. In fiscal 2025 Woord en Daad received nearly €38 million in income, the highest in its history, and its second-hand shops alone delivered more than €2.7 million in net proceeds. More than 4,000 volunteers — including 1,800+ across the thrift-store network — support the paid staff of 101-250 employees.

Go-to-market is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer fundraising via the woordendaad.nl website, recurring sponsorship sign-ups, church and school partnerships, regional volunteer group events (concerts, cycling tours, high teas), remarketing and paid social, and a 31-store physical retail footprint in the Netherlands. The organization is governed by a two-member Board of Directors (Chair Rina Molenaar, Director of Programmes Jacob Jan Vreugdenhil) and a 7-member Board of Supervisors chaired by Reverend dr. G.J. Baan, and holds ISO 9001 (since 2002), CBF 'Erkend Goed Doel', ANBI, and (via US affiliate Word2Act) 501(c)(3) credentials.

Name

Woord en Daad

Legal name

Stichting Woord en Daad

Website

https://woordendaad.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Woord en Daad is a Dutch Christian development foundation that delivers education, agriculture, child-protection, and employment programs in 18-20 countries, funded by private donations, government grants, and 31 second-hand shops in the Netherlands, with 4,000+ volunteers and €38M income in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Development and Humanitarian Aid

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE), Climate, Environment & Natural Resource Management Aid Programs (BPADABAI)

Keywords

• International development cooperation
• Child sponsorship programs
• Humanitarian aid services
• Charitable fundraising operations
• Second-hand retail charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Gorinchem

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Sponsorships: The majority of Woord en Daad's income comes from private donations and sponsorships. This includes child sponsorship programs where donors support specific children, fixed donor memberships with recurring donations, and one-time gifts. The organization maintains tens of thousands of sponsors and donors.
2. Government Subsidies: Woord en Daad receives government subsidies but maintains a policy that government subsidies may form a maximum of 30% of total income. This ensures independence from government funding.
3. Second-hand Shop Operations: The organization operates 31 second-hand shops (kringloopwinkels) across the Netherlands with over 1,800 volunteers. Net proceeds from these shops exceeded €2.7 million, supporting the organization's international development work.
4. Legacies and Bequests: The organization accepts legacies and bequests from supporters, with digital storage of testament documents in secure systems for proper administration.
5. Merchandise Sales: Woord en Daad sells products including fair trade items like coffee, cashew nuts, and honey sourced from partner organizations. These products are sold at events, through volunteer groups, and via home sales points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Woord en Daad is a Dutch Christian development organization that operates child sponsorship programs, accepts private donations, and runs 31 second-hand thrift shops across the Netherlands to fund international poverty alleviation programs. It delivers development programs in education, agriculture, water/sanitation, youth employment, child protection, and emergency relief across 18-20 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America through local partner organizations.

Product overview

Woord en Daad is a Dutch Christian development organization operating a multi-product portfolio focused on sustainable change for communities worldwide. The core offerings include child sponsorship programs connecting donors with individual children, direct donation mechanisms (one-time, recurring, and legacy), and a network of 31 thrift shops generating over €2.7 million annually. Supplementary engagement products include at-home sales points for fair-trade products and regional volunteer groups organizing fundraising events. The organization delivers impact through eight thematic programmes: Inclusive Agribusiness, Sustainable Water, Education, Combating Child Exploitation, Employment and Training, Emergency Relief and Resilience, Policy Influencing, and Awareness Raising campaigns on sustainable consumption. The programmatic work spans 18 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with operations structured around five regional strategies and Southern leadership principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Child Sponsorship Program Individual child sponsorship program connecting Dutch donors with children in developing countries, providing access to education, meals, and medical care, with sponsors receiving updates and personal correspondence.
• Donations and Fundraising Direct donation options including one-time gifts (preset €10/€20/€50/€100 or custom), recurring fixed-donor memberships, and legacy/bequest giving to support development projects worldwide.
• Thrift Shops (Kringloopwinkels) Second-hand retail stores across 31 locations in the Netherlands staffed by over 1,800 volunteers, selling donated goods with net proceeds exceeding €2.7 million in 2025 to support international development work.
• Inclusive Agribusiness Programme Agricultural development programme supporting small-scale farmers with training, coaching, and market access to improve livelihoods and food security across developing countries.
• Education Programme Education programme providing access to quality education for children, including school fees, materials, meals, and teacher training across 18 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Combating Child Exploitation Programme Child protection programme preventing child labor, domestic servitude, and exploitation while supporting recovery and reintegration of affected children in Benin, Burkina Faso, and other countries.
• Employment and Training Programme Youth employment programme providing vocational training, job placement services, and entrepreneurship support for young people aged 18-35.
• Sustainable Water Programme Water, sanitation, and hygiene programme providing access to safe drinking water and promoting sustainable water management practices in developing countries.
• Emergency Relief and Resilience Programme Humanitarian assistance programme providing emergency aid and building community resilience in conflict-affected and disaster-prone areas.
• Policy Influencing Programme Advocacy programme lobbying Dutch and EU policymakers for development-friendly policies and coherent foreign policy toward the Global South.
• Home Sales Point (Verkooppunt aan Huis) At-home sales programme allowing supporters to sell fair-trade products such as coffee, tea, and cashew nuts to raise funds for development projects.
• Regional Volunteer Groups Local volunteer groups organizing events such as concerts, cycling tours, and sales activities across the Netherlands to raise funds and awareness for development projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly €38 million income received in 2025, the highest in organization's history
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LEAD UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The Local Empowerment And Development (LEAD) program in Uganda exemplifies partnership approach rooted in co-creation, southern leadership and systemic change. Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, LEAD Uganda addresses sustainable livelihoods and social cohesion for refugees and host communities through collaborative system canvas workshops.
• BenkadicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Multi-country strategic partnership in four African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali) with a budget of €21.6 million for 2021-2025 under the Power of Voices framework. Focuses on strengthening civil society engagement in climate mitigation and adaptation policies with Southern leadership and shared decision-making.
• AFAS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to combat modern slavery and eradicate child domestic labor in Benin and Burkina Faso. Focuses on prevention, recovery, and advocacy through local organizations using data-driven strategies.
• DEDRAScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Benin working on preventing child domestic labor and providing education and vocational training.
• CIPCREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner organization in Benin working on child protection and community development initiatives.
• AEJTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation des Enfants et Jeunes Travailleurs (Association of Working Children and Youth) - local organization empowering working children and youth.
• Children BelieveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization collaborating on child-focused development programs in Benin and Burkina Faso.
• Parole et ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Haiti operating schools and digital education training centers. Received $800,000 from W.K. Kellogg Foundation for establishing digital education infrastructure including 40 training centers across the country.
• ConviventiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Colombia building a volunteer network and demonstrating international cooperation examples.
• World VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the INCE Sierra Leone program, facilitating training for children's clubs, mother clubs, and School Management Committees.
• Word2ActminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based organization with 501(c)(3) status, affiliated with Woord en Daad for American donors and supporters.
• LEAD UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Empowerment And Development program - multi-stakeholder partnership addressing sustainable livelihoods and social cohesion for refugees and host communities in Uganda.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• World Vision Nederland: World Vision's Dutch affiliate is a large child-focused Christian development NGO with sponsorship programs, multi-country operations, and similar advocacy footprint in Brussels/The Hague. Comparable scale and donor-segment overlap, though backed by a larger global parent.
• Dorcas: Dorcas is a Dutch Christian development NGO operating thrift shops (kringloopwinkels), international partner programs in Eastern Europe and Africa, and CBF-certified fundraising — sharing the distinctive dual-revenue model (donations + thrift shops) that is a core Woord en Daad feature.
• Tearfund (Netherlands): Tearfund is a Dutch Christian development NGO with comparable focus on poverty alleviation, child sponsorship, and faith-based international programs. Both organizations share Biblical mission framing, CBF/ANBI certifications, and operate with strong Dutch volunteer bases — the most direct comparable peer in scale and positioning.
• Compassion Nederland: Compassion Nederland operates a near-identical child sponsorship model in the Netherlands with faith-based positioning. Direct competitor for the same Dutch donor wallet, with overlapping program geographies and similar CBF-certified transparency standards.
• Kinderpostzegels: Kinderpostzegels is a Dutch child welfare NGO with similar focus on children's rights, education access, and CBF certification. Overlaps with Woord en Daad's child sponsorship and education program portfolios in Africa and Latin America.
• Red een Kind: Red een Kind is a Dutch child sponsorship-focused NGO with similar operating model: Dutch Christian foundation, child sponsorship program, partnership-based program delivery in Africa and Latin America. Highly comparable on revenue model and target donor demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Cordaid: Cordaid is one of the largest Dutch development organizations (€100M+ budget), historically Catholic-affiliated, with broader thematic scope including healthcare, security & justice, and humanitarian response. Overlaps with Woord en Daad on partner-country presence and policy-influencing in The Hague/Brussels but operates at significantly larger scale.
• Oxfam Novib: Oxfam Novib is the largest Dutch development NGO (€200M+ budget), with comparable policy-influencing footprint in The Hague and Brussels, partner-led program model, and education/livelihoods programming. Operates at significantly larger scale and secular positioning but competes for the same institutional grants and high-value donors.
• ICCO Cooperation: ICCO is a Dutch development cooperative (now operating under Cordaid) with comparable focus on inclusive agribusiness, climate-resilient farming, and food security — overlapping significantly with Woord en Daad's Drops for Crops and Inclusive Agribusiness programs in West Africa.
• SOS Kinderdorpen: SOS Children's Villages Netherlands is part of a large global federation focused on child welfare, alternative care, and family strengthening. Comparable on Dutch donor base, child sponsorship, and CBF certification, but operates a distinct residential care model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@woordendaad
• Facebookfacebook.com/woordendaad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woord-en-daad
• Instagraminstagram.com/woordendaad
• Xx.com/woordendaad

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woord en Daad