What WorldWide Foundation does

Stichting WereldWijd, operating as WorldWide Foundation, is a Dutch non-profit foundation established in 1984 and headquartered in a former 1950s domestic science school in Eckelrade, South Limburg, Netherlands. The foundation operates four programs targeting asylum seekers, status holders, undocumented individuals, and rejected asylum seekers: VakTaal (Dutch language instruction at A0–B2 levels combined with MBO Level 1 vocational certifications in metalworking, woodworking, electrical, sewing, and digital literacy; currently 87 students across 28-person, 17-nationality cohorts), WereldTools (material aid packages — approximately one cubic meter per case of tools, machines, and equipment — plus welding and solar installation courses for rejected asylum seekers, shipped to 755 returnees across 55 countries in cooperation with the IOM and the Dutch Return and Departure Service), Repair Café (twice-monthly community repair service), and Fietswerkplaats (a bicycle workshop refurbishing donated bikes for €20 resale).

The organization's revenue model is grant- and subsidy-based rather than commercial. WereldTools is primarily financed by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security through the Return and Departure Service, while VakTaal is funded through a portfolio of Dutch charitable foundations (Pro Infantibus, Kansfonds, Provincie Limburg, Sint Clemens Stichting, VSBfonds, Stichting FSI, Stichting Plooi Foundation, Stichting Kanunnik Salden Nieuwenhof) and municipal social affairs funds. The bicycle and repair services are non-commercial, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market is community-led: beneficiary acquisition is driven by word-of-mouth, partner referrals, and institutional relationships with COA, Gemeente Eijsden-Margraten, Maastricht-Heuvelland, Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg, Vlot team, and the Vluchtelingen en Onderwijs Zuid-Limburg academic-vocational network. The foundation is led by Director Mirjam Kemp, with project leaders Lore Dijkman and Ed Peters for WereldTools, Sabine Huitema and Arjan Poelen for VakTaal, and administrator Han Jeurissen. Service delivery is in-person at the Eckelrade facility, with no proprietary digital platform or AI/ML infrastructure; the entire operating model is dependent on approximately 98 active volunteers alongside a 1-10 paid staff core.

Name

WorldWide Foundation

Legal name

Stichting WereldWijd

Website

https://stichtingwereldwijd.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education and Refugee Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Language Schools (61163), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro primary industry

Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Refugee language training
• Vocational skills education
• Asylum seeker support
• Return migration assistance
• Community integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Eckelrade

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. WereldTools government funding: The Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid (Ministry of Justice and Security), specifically Dienst Terugkeer & Vertrek (Return and Departure Service), funds the WereldTools project which supports rejected asylum seekers with material aid for reintegration in their country of origin.
2. VakTaal funding from foundations and subsidy providers: VakTaal is financed through various foundations and subsidy providers (including Pro Infantibus, Kansfonds, Provincie Limburg, Sint Clemens Stichting, VSBfonds, Stichting FSI, Stichting Plooi Foundation, Stichting Kanunnik Salden Nieuwenhof, and others) and municipal social affairs funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stichting WereldWijd is a volunteer-run non-profit foundation that delivers Dutch language instruction (A0–B2 levels) combined with vocational skills training (metalworking, woodworking, electrical engineering, sewing, digital literacy) to refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented individuals through its VakTaal program. It also operates WereldTools, which provides tool, machine, and equipment aid packages to rejected asylum seekers returning to their countries of origin, supported by short courses in welding and solar installation. Supplementary community services include a Repair Café and a bicycle refurbishment workshop.

Product overview

Stichting WereldWijd is a non-profit organization operating as a course and support center for asylum seekers and refugees with limited access to the labor market. The organization offers two main programs: WereldTools provides material support and vocational training for rejected asylum seekers returning to their home countries, while VakTaal offers Dutch language education combined with vocational skills training. Supporting services include a Repair Café for community repairs and a Bicycle Workshop. The organization operates from an old household school in Eckelrade, South Limburg, with approximately 98 active volunteers supporting 87 course participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WereldTools: Material support project for rejected asylum seekers returning to their country of origin. Provides tools, materials, and machines to start small businesses, along with welding and solar installation courses.
• VakTaal
• Repair Café
• Fietswerkplaats

Products and services

• WereldTools Material support project providing tools, equipment, and machines to rejected asylum seekers to help them start small businesses in their home countries. Includes a 6-week welding course and a 3-week solar installation course. Approximately 1 cubic meter crate per returnee. Funded by the Ministry of Justice and Security (Dienst Terugkeer & Vertrek) and operated in collaboration with IOM.
• VakTaal Language and vocational training program offering Dutch language lessons at A0–B2 levels combined with vocational courses including metalworking, woodworking, electrical engineering, sewing skills, and digital Dutch. Delivered three days per week at the Eckelrade facility with classes of up to 28 students representing 17+ nationalities. Awards MBO Level 1 vocational certifications. Funded by charitable foundations and municipal social affairs funds.
• Repair Café
• Fietswerkplaats (Bicycle Workshop) Bicycle workshop where donated bicycles are refurbished by 6 daily volunteers and sold for €20 to VakTaal participants, AZC residents, and people on welfare benefits. Pickup at the Eckelrade workshop; orders via WhatsApp (06-17742085) or email.

Quantifiable outcome

• 755 returnees supported through WereldTools across 55 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IOM (Internationale Organisatie voor Migratie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose operational collaboration with the International Organization for Migration. IOM facilitates the return and reintegration process for rejected asylum seekers. WereldTools provides material aid (tools, machines, equipment) to complement IOM's reintegration support services.
• Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers (COA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly contact maintained with the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers. COA refers asylum seekers to VakTaal's language and vocational training programs.
• Gemeente Eijsden-MargratencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurrounding municipality partner providing referrals and co-financing. Regular contact and collaboration on integration programs for local refugees and asylum seekers.
• Maastricht-Heuvelland (Sociale Zaken)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal social affairs department of Maastricht and the Heuvelland region. Provides referrals and funding support for integration and educational programs.
• Veiligheidsregio Zuid-LimburgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly contact maintained with the South Limburg Safety Region for coordination on refugee and asylum-related matters.
• Vlot teamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular weekly contact with the Vlot team for coordination on refugee support services in South Limburg.
• Universiteit MaastrichtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner within the Vluchtelingen en Onderwijs Zuid-Limburg network. Contributes to educational programs and knowledge sharing for refugee integration.
• Vista CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational education partner within the Vluchtelingen en Onderwijs Zuid-Limburg network. Supports vocational training alignment and knowledge exchange.
• Novo-collegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and training partner within the Vluchtelingen en Onderwijs Zuid-Limburg network for adult education and integration.
• Hogeschool ZuydminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences partner within the Vluchtelingen en Onderwijs Zuid-Limburg network for educational collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• CNME Maastricht en RegiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentrum voor Milieu en Educatie (Centre for Environment and Education) collaboration on community environmental projects such as the Summer School clean-up action in Eckelrade.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• IOM Netherlands: International Organization for Migration's Dutch mission; WereldWijd already partners with IOM on return logistics. Comparable as the global incumbent for voluntary return and reintegration programs that WereldTools augments.
• HIAS: International Jewish refugee-aid agency providing resettlement, legal, and integration services. Comparable as a global incumbent offering combined resettlement-reintegration programming similar to WereldTools.
• Cordaid: Large Dutch international development and humanitarian organization running refugee and migration programs including education in the Netherlands. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping educational integration mandate.

Emerging players

• RefuAid: UK-based charity helping refugees into employment and education through language, credentials recognition, and employer engagement. Comparable as an emerging European peer addressing refugee labor-market integration.
• Kiron Open Higher Education: Germany-based nonprofit offering online higher-education pathways for refugees. Comparable as an emerging peer in refugee-focused educational delivery, though at a higher academic level and with a tech-enabled model.

Direct peers

• Stichting Vluchteling: Dutch NGO providing emergency aid and longer-term support to refugees in the Netherlands and in refugee regions. Comparable as a Netherlands-based refugee-services peer with overlapping beneficiary base.
• VluchtelingenWerk Nederland: The Dutch Council for Refugees is the largest NGO in the Netherlands focused on refugee protection and integration, providing legal aid, advocacy, and integration support. Highly comparable as a Dutch refugee-services peer, though broader in scope than WereldWijd.
• UAF (Stichting voor Vluchteling-Studenten): Dutch foundation supporting refugee students and highly educated refugees with higher-education completion and labor-market entry. Comparable as a Dutch educational-integration peer, focused on a higher credential level than WereldWijd.
• Stichting De Vluchtmaat: Dutch foundation pairing Dutch volunteers with refugees for Dutch-language practice and social integration. Comparable as a smaller Dutch refugee-integration peer focused on language acquisition.

Others

• Stichting Gezinshuis: Dutch social-enterprise foundation supporting vulnerable families including newcomers. Thematically adjacent as a Dutch nonprofit working on social integration, but not directly competing in WereldWijd's language/vocational niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stichting.wereldwijd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-wereldwijd
• Instagraminstagram.com/stichtingwereldwijd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 WorldWide Foundation