Stichting Al Amal

What Stichting Al Amal does

Stichting Al Amal is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (Stichting) founded in 2003 and headquartered in Utrecht, Netherlands, with origins in informal Arabic lessons given by co-founder Marzouka Boulaghbage to migrant women in Kanaleneiland beginning in 2001. The organization provides culturally sensitive social services to Utrecht residents with migration backgrounds — families, young adults, children, women, and men — who cannot independently navigate Dutch society due to language barriers, illiteracy, limited digital skills, or constrained social networks. Its portfolio of interconnected programs includes the Open Huis/Hulp aan Huis walk-in centers and home visits, We All (pre-forensic youth guidance with Leger des Heils), Tussen In (multi-problem family mediation), De Eerste 1000 Dagen (prenatal/early childhood support), group activities for women and children, Hoop in Overvecht (financial guidance), Voedselpakketten uit het Hart (food parcels with Stichting Al Yatiem), the Expertisecentrum (cultural sensitivity training), and Oefenplein (digital skills practice).

The organization operates five community-embedded locations across Kanaleneiland, Overvecht Noord, Overvecht Zuid, and Zuilen/Ondiep, with weekly walk-in hours and no appointment requirement. It employs 26 paid staff supported by 65 volunteers, with service delivery conducted in Arabic, Amazigh (Berber), Turkish, and Dutch. There is no proprietary technology platform; all services are human-delivered and rely on culturally matched staff and trained volunteer 'maatjes' to build trust with hard-to-reach populations. The 'brandweer' (firefighter) approach addresses immediate crises before working on root causes, in contrast to the more procedurally rigid formal Dutch system.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded. Primary operational funding comes from the Municipality of Utrecht (Gemeente Utrecht), which advised the founders to formalize into a Stichting in 2003. Supplementary revenue includes donations (Voedselpakketten is 100% donation-funded), and project grants from foundations including Stichting RCOAK and Hofje Codde & Van Beresteyn. All services are free of charge to beneficiaries; the organization holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) public-benefit status and publishes annual financial statements (Jaarstukken 2023 and 2024). Governance comprises a Board (Bestuur) chaired by Anissa Akhrij, with Rachida Ibrahimi and Caroline Sarolea (Innovation Manager), and a Supervisory Board (Raad van Toezicht) chaired by Melanie Knieriem with Maaike Schaap and Aziz Boutaga.

Name

Stichting Al Amal

Legal name

Stichting Al Amal

Website

https://al-amal.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting Al Amal is a Utrecht-based Dutch nonprofit foundation providing culturally sensitive social services — walk-in support, home visits, youth and family programs, and group activities — to migrant-background residents who cannot independently navigate Dutch society. Funded primarily by the Municipality of Utrecht and donations; ANBI-registered; 26 paid staff and 65 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Cultural Orientation & Community Integration (Local Norms, Services) (EDAAADAD)

Keywords

• Culturally sensitive social services
• Migrant community support
• Nonprofit social work
• Community-based welfare
• Cultural sensitivity training

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Municipal / Government Funding: Al Amal receives funding from the municipality of Utrecht (Gemeente Utrecht) and is a nonprofit ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) organization. Financial statements for 2023 and 2024 are publicly available on their website. No fee-based revenue model is described.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stichting Al Amal is a nonprofit foundation delivering free, culturally sensitive social support services to residents with migration backgrounds in Utrecht. Its core offering combines walk-in administrative help, home visits, family guidance, youth programs, women's and children's group activities, food parcel assistance, and cultural sensitivity training for external professionals, all delivered through community-embedded locations across four Utrecht neighborhoods.

Product overview

Stichting Al Amal is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of culturally sensitive social support services in Utrecht. The organization operates as a unified service provider with multiple interconnected programs including Open Huis/Hulp aan Huis (walk-in and home-based administrative support), We All (pre-forensic youth guidance), Tussen In (multi-problem family approach), De Eerste 1000 Dagen (early childhood support), group activities for women and children, Hoop in Overvecht (financial guidance), Voedselpakketten uit het Hart (food assistance), and an Expertisecentrum (cultural sensitivity training services). The services are designed to reach migrants and families who struggle to navigate Dutch society independently, with a focus on building self-reliance and sustainable solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Voedselpakketten uit het Hart: A food assistance initiative providing food packages to families in need, run in collaboration with Stichting Al Yatiem
• Het Domino-Effect
• We All
• Tussen In
• De Eerste 1000 Dagen van een Kind
• Hoop in Overvecht

Products and services

• Hulp aan Huis & Open Huis Walk-in consultation hours and home visit support for residents with migration backgrounds, providing assistance with light administrative tasks such as reviewing mail, explaining documents, scheduling appointments, and contacting authorities. Delivered across Kanaleneiland, Overvecht, and Zuilen/Ondiep in Arabic, Amazigh, Turkish, and Dutch.
• We All (Pre-forensisch jongvolwassenen begeleiding) Pre-forensic youth guidance program for young adults with migration backgrounds who often have a suspected mild intellectual disability and face complex situations including lack of structure, debt, and potential involvement in undermining activities. Delivered in collaboration with Leger des Heils (Salvation Army).
• Tussen In (Aanpak Multi Probleemgezinnen) Multi-problem family approach providing mediation and guidance for families with migration backgrounds who are not effectively reached by regular care services, addressing psychological problems, addiction, debt, and parenting challenges. Goal is to connect families to appropriate regular care.
• De Eerste 1000 Dagen van een Kind Support program for expectant mothers and fathers, especially those with limited social networks, single parents, limited Dutch language skills, and multiple problems, who are less than 8 months pregnant. Provides personal guidance through maatjes (volunteer mentors) during the crucial first 1000 days of a child's life.
• Groepsactiviteiten voor Vrouwen (Domino-effect) Group activities for women who experience distance from society, focusing on empowerment, network building, self-reliance, and informational topics such as dealing with anxiety, stress management, exercise, and healthy eating. Conducted weekly in both Overvecht and Kanaleneiland.
• Groepsactiviteiten voor Kinderen (SP-jeugdgroep) Day care activities for children up to 12 years who experience distance from society, including the SP-jeugdgroep for children aged 7-12 with special educational needs. Focused on building self-confidence, resilience, and developing personal skills through games, crafts, cooking, outdoor play, and creativity.
• Hoop in Overvecht Financial guidance project helping residents in the Overvecht neighborhood deal with debt or poverty issues, providing proactive outreach, counseling sessions, and connection to social initiatives and sustainable solutions.
• Voedselpakketten uit het Hart Community food package project in collaboration with Stichting Al Yatiem, providing temporary support for families in need with biweekly food parcel distributions, while guiding them toward sustainable solutions. Maximum support period is one year per family. Funded entirely by donations.
• Expertisecentrum (Expertise Center) Expertise center offering cultural sensitivity training, workshops, masterclasses, and short inspirational sessions (prikkels) for professionals and volunteers at other organizations working with diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
• Oefenplein (Digital Skills Training) Digital skills training program where volunteer digimaatjes help residents learn to handle digital administrative tasks independently, using laptops and instruction cards at dedicated practice locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew from 6 women in 2001 to over 100 women within a short period, demonstrating rapid community trust-building
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Leyden Academy on Vitality and AgeingflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Joint development of the 'Domino-effect' project, which won the Appeltje van Oranje in 2024. The project trains women with a migration background who have little social network to become volunteers and role models. Leyden Academy contributed expertise on vitality and aging, while Al Amal contributed community access and cultural sensitivity.
• Stichting Al YatiemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Co-initiator of 'Voedselpakketten uit het Hart' (Food Parcels from the Heart). Al Yatiem handles financial donations (IBAN NL64RABO 0146443683) for the food parcel program. Al Yatiem is described as a 'buitenlands weeskindproject' (foreign orphan project).
• Het Leger des Heils (The Salvation Army)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivers the We All program for pre-forensic young adults together with Al Amal. The Leger des Heils provides expertise in youth care and reintegration while Al Amal provides cultural sensitivity and community access. Project coordinator is Eric Krak at the Leger des Heils.
• Buurtteam UtrechtcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNeighborhood teams that refer residents to Al Amal for culturally sensitive support, and to which Al Amal refers clients for specialized care. Part of a broad ecosystem of Utrecht social service organizations.
• DOCKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA Utrecht social services organization. Co-founder Marzouka Boulaghbage works three days per week at DOCK as a social broker. Also a referral partner for Al Amal.
• Veilig ThuisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAn early referral partner that actively sought collaboration with the founders of Al Amal in the early 2000s, recognizing the value of their community connections.
• Schuldhulpmaatje UtrechtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDebt help organization. Listed as a cooperation partner on Al Amal's website, part of the referral network for residents with financial problems.
• UMC UtrechtminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity Medical Center Utrecht. Partner in women's group activities, collaborating on health-related themes including physical activity and nutrition. Mentioned in the women's activities section.
• PharosminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a cooperation partner on Al Amal's About page, alongside other Utrecht social services organizations including Spoor030, Samen Veilig, Koos Utrecht, and Jou-Utrecht.
• Cash2GrowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization working with Al Amal's women's group activities on themes related to financial literacy and economic empowerment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DOCK: Utrecht-based social services broker where Al Amal's co-founder Marzouka Boulaghbage works three days a week as a 'sociaal makelaar'. DOCK and Al Amal are mutual referral partners; both focus on neighborhood-level social brokerage and integration support in Utrecht, making them the closest direct operational peer.
• Buurtteam Utrecht: Utrecht's neighborhood social support teams that refer residents to Al Amal for culturally sensitive help and receive referrals back for specialized care. Directly comparable front-line social-services delivery model in the same Utrecht geography, with overlapping client population and referral pathways.
• Pharos: Dutch national centre of expertise on health disparities for people with a migration or refugee background. Listed as a cooperation partner on Al Amal's website. Directly comparable in mission (bridging Dutch institutions and migrant communities) and overlapping in training/expertise-center activities, though Pharos focuses on health while Al Amal has broader social-services scope.
• Stichting UAF: Foundation supporting refugee students and professionals in higher education and the Dutch labor market through coaching, training, and financial support. Comparable as a Dutch nonprofit serving refugees/newcomers with tailored integration support and training services, though focused on the student/educated segment versus Al Amal's broader community base.
• Stichting Schuldhulpmaatje Utrecht: Dutch volunteer-driven debt-help organization with a local Utrecht chapter; listed as a cooperation partner on Al Amal's website and part of the referral network for residents with financial problems. Comparable in operating a 'maatje' (volunteer buddy) model delivering in-person, low-threshold support to vulnerable residents in Utrecht.

Emerging players

• New Dutch Connections: Dutch organization using arts and culture to support the integration and social participation of newcomers. Comparable as a smaller, mission-driven integration nonprofit in the Netherlands with overlapping target audience (migrants/newcomers), but with a narrower arts-based methodology versus Al Amal's broader social-services portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• VluchtelingenWerk Nederland: The Dutch Council for Refugees is the largest national NGO supporting asylum seekers and refugees with legal aid, integration coaching, and societal participation. Directly comparable mission to Al Amal's refugee/migrant integration work, but operates at national scale through a federation of regional offices rather than locally embedded community hubs.
• Veilig Thuis: National network of Dutch domestic violence and child abuse advisory centers; one of Al Amal's earliest referral partners that actively sought collaboration with its founders in the early 2000s. Comparable in providing front-line social safety services for vulnerable families in the Netherlands, though focused specifically on domestic safety.
• Leger des Heils: The Salvation Army in the Netherlands delivers youth care, reintegration, family support, and multi-problem casework — and is already Al Amal's co-delivery partner on the We All pre-forensic program. Highly comparable in services for vulnerable and multi-problem families, but operates as a much larger national incumbent with broader service lines.

Regional players

• Stichting VluchtelingenWerk Midden-Nederland: Regional arm of VluchtelingenWerk covering Utrecht and central Netherlands, providing refugee integration and legal support in the same operating geography as Al Amal. Comparable mission but a regional franchise of a national body rather than a locally embedded community-led foundation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/alamalutrecht
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100063822692004
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-al-amal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stichting Al Amal