Samana vzw

What Samana vzw does

Samana vzw is a Belgian non-profit association (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk) founded in 1950, headquartered in Schaerbeek, Brussels, and operating across Flanders and Brussels to support people with chronic illnesses and their informal caregivers (mantelzorgers). It runs a distributed service platform organized around 1,000+ local chapters and a network of more than 20,000 volunteers, with a small paid staff of 47 professionals. Service lines span peer connection (Duowerking buddy matching, group activities, home visits), accessible care holidays (Zorgeloze Vakanties, including Spa Nivezé in partnership with CM), caregiver support (Mantelzorgtelefoon helpline, free Mantelzorgcoaches, online self-care training), practical assistance (Samana Boodschappenlijn grocery delivery, Samana Winkelbus wheelchair-accessible shopping bus), and advocacy (Samana Panel, Vlaamse Pijnliga, InZich(t) project, awareness campaigns such as Week tegen Eenzaamheid and De Grootste Mantel). Samana also publishes a digital magazine and produces Samana TV, a monthly talk show broadcast on Eclips TV.

The underlying technology consists of a member-facing portal (mijn.samana.be) for activity registration, training enrollment, and holiday bookings, a webshop for merchandise and informational materials, and lightweight integrations with payment providers (Viva.com, Payonic) and parcel delivery (Bpost). The business model is multi-stream and non-commercial: recurring membership fees, donations and an annual national lottery (solidariteitsactie), fee-based training and care-holiday bookings (e.g., €25 self-care training for non-members; €540–€805 per holiday participant), and webshop sales of informational and promotional items. The organization is governed as an independent vzw with no parent company or shareholders, led by director Johan Tourné, and holds strategic alliances with CM (Christieke Mutualiteit), Eclips TV, Buddywerking Vlaanderen, and several Flemish municipalities.

Name

Samana vzw

Legal name

Samana vzw

Website

https://samana.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Samana vzw is a Belgian non-profit (founded 1950) that supports people with chronic illnesses and informal caregivers across Flanders and Brussels via 1,000+ local chapters, 20,000+ volunteers, accessible holidays, coaching, training, advocacy, and practical services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees provide core funding and access to member benefits including free training courses.
2. Donations and solidarity actions: Annual national lottery (solidariteitsactie/tombola) and donation drives support regional and local activities.
3. Webshop sales: Sale of merchandise including informational materials, promotional items, books, and greeting cards.
4. Training and courses: Fee-based training programs such as self-care training for caregivers (€25, free for members).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Samana vzw is a Belgian non-profit association that delivers community-based support services for people with chronic illness and their informal caregivers (mantelzorgers) across Flanders and Brussels. Its core offerings include one-on-one buddy matching (Duowerking), accessible care holidays (Zorgeloze Vakanties), free caregiver coaching sessions, an online self-care training program, a grocery delivery telephone line (Boodschappenlijn), a wheelchair-accessible shopping bus (Winkelbus), a monthly talk show on Eclips TV, and policy advocacy through the Samana Panel.

Product overview

Samana vzw is a Belgian non-profit organization that operates as a unified service platform offering multiple interconnected programs for people with chronic illness and their informal caregivers. The core portfolio includes: (1) Meeting and Social Connection services such as Duowerking (one-on-one buddy matching), group activities, and home visits; (2) Carefree Holidays providing accessible group and individual vacation programs; (3) Informational and educational services including Vorming (training courses), an online self-care training, and the digital Samana Magazine; (4) Support services such as Mantelzorgtelefoon (helpline), Mantelzorgcoaches (free coaching sessions), and the Boodschappenlijn (grocery delivery service); (5) Advocacy initiatives including the Samana Panel for policy input and projects like InZich(t) and the Vlaamse Pijnliga; and (6) Practical services including the Winkelbus (shopping bus) and Webshop. The organization also operates Samana TV, a monthly television program, and runs campaigns like the Week tegen Eenzaamheid and De Grootste Mantel. Samana connects over 20,000 volunteers across approximately 1,000 local chapters throughout Flanders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vlaamse Pijnliga: A project that serves as a connecting link for everyone involved with chronic pain, advocating for people with chronic pain and making pain visible and discussable.
• Samana TV
• Samana Boodschappenlijn
• Samana Winkelbus
• Samana Magazine
• Samana Panel
• InZich(t)
• Samana Zomerproeverij

Products and services

• Samana Boodschappenlijn A free telephone-line service that connects people who cannot do their own grocery shopping with local volunteers who purchase and deliver groceries to their homes, enabling independent living for those with chronic illness or disability.
• Samana Winkelbus A wheelchair-accessible bus service that transports less mobile people free of charge to nearby stores, providing ample time to shop independently and safely returning them home.
• Samana TV A monthly talk program broadcast on Eclips TV, produced for and by people with chronic illness and their informal caregivers, hosted by Karolien Debecker with guest testimonies and reportages.
• Mantelzorgcoaches Free coaching service connecting informal caregivers with experienced coaches who are themselves current or former caregivers, offering up to four sessions for listening, practical advice, and support.
• Zelfzorg voor Mantelzorgers (Online Self-Care Training) An online training course with nine sessions covering seven themes including communication, setting boundaries, and self-care, featuring expert explanations, caregiver testimonies, tips, and exercises to maintain balance between burden and resilience.
• Samana Webshop Online store selling information and promotional items including books, greeting cards, balloons, t-shirts, breakfast boxes, brochures, and posters, with delivery via Bpost and payment through Viva.com.
• Zorgeloze Vakanties (Carefree Holidays) Group and individual vacations for people with chronic illness and their caregivers, with fully accessible accommodations and medical support at destinations including Spa Nivezé operated in partnership with CM.
• Duowerking One-on-one matching service pairing volunteers with people experiencing loneliness due to chronic illness or caregiving responsibilities, based on shared interests and geography for meaningful social contacts.
• Samana Panel voor Chronisch Zieken Systematic panel that collects experiences, pain points, and improvement ideas from people with chronic illnesses through periodic questionnaires, informing policy proposals and advocacy actions.
• Mantelzorgtelefoon Free helpline offering emotional support and listening ear for informal caregivers, available weekdays 10:00-12:00 and 13:00-16:00.
• Vorming (Training & Courses) Educational offerings including information sessions and courses for people with chronic illness and informal caregivers, covering topics such as heart coherence, stress management, sexuality, and grief processing.
• Ontmoeting (Meetings, Home Visits & Group Activities) Social connection services including home visits, group activities, and Zorgvriendelijke gemeente programs delivered through local chapters to reduce isolation among people with chronic illness.
• Samana Magazine Digitaal Digital magazine featuring stories about volunteering, informal caregiving, and living with chronic illness, including interviews, reportages, and inspiring initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 8,000 holiday participants served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Antwerp, Diksmuide, and Zottegem/Oudenaarde municipalitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2019Local government partnerships to operate the shopping bus service, bringing accessible grocery shopping to less mobile residents in three regions of Flanders.
• CM (Christelijke Mutualiteit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CM healthcare insurance organization for co-developing care holiday programs. CM-zorgverblijven (Spa Nivezé) serve as vacation destinations for Samana members. CM offices serve as local contact points for Samana activities.
• Eclips TVcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast partner for Samana TV monthly program. Eclips TV distributes Samana's talk show content featuring stories about chronic illness and caregiving to viewers across Belgium via multiple providers (Telenet, Proximus, Orange, TV Vlaanderen).
• Buddywerking VlaanderenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on buddy program for people with mental health vulnerabilities, pairing them with trained volunteers for ongoing support and social connection.
• GC De Vaartkapoen (Molenbeek)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with community center for hosting Summer Tasting creative workshops in Brussels, providing space for cultural activities and community connection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MS-Liga Vlaanderen: Flemish multiple sclerosis league providing peer support, advocacy, and services for people with MS and their families; directly comparable chronic illness advocacy model with similar volunteer-based member structure serving the same Belgian demographic.
• Alzheimer Liga Vlaanderen: Flemish dementia association supporting people with dementia and their informal caregivers through information, support groups, and advocacy; directly comparable caregiver-centric chronic illness advocacy model.
• Steunpunt Mantelzorg: Flemish support center for informal caregivers (mantelzorgers) offering training, advice, and policy support; directly comparable caregiver-support mission that overlaps with Samana's Mantelzorg programs and coaching services.
• Vlaamse Ouderenraad: Flemish Council for the Elderly, an advisory and advocacy body for senior citizens in Flanders; comparable advocacy mission serving an overlapping demographic where chronic illness prevalence is high.
• CAW (Centrum Algemeen Welzijnswerk): Flemish umbrella network of social welfare centers delivering counseling, social support, and welfare services to vulnerable populations across Flanders and Brussels; comparable community-based social services model serving overlapping vulnerable groups.
• Kom op tegen Kanker: Flemish cancer charity that mobilizes volunteers, runs awareness campaigns, and advocates for cancer patients and their families; highly comparable volunteer-led advocacy and community service model with direct overlap in chronic illness support.
• Parkinson Liga: Belgian Parkinson's disease patient organization providing peer support, exercise programs, and advocacy; direct peer in chronic neurological disease advocacy and member-driven service delivery.
• Diabetes Liga: Belgian diabetes association providing information, support groups, and advocacy for people with diabetes and their families; analogous member-driven chronic illness organization operating in the same Belgian healthcare and regulatory environment.
• ReumaLiga: Belgian rheumatic disease patient organization offering peer support, exercise programs, and advocacy for people with rheumatism; mirrors Samana's chronic illness support and community-building model in the same Flemish landscape.

Broad incumbents

• CM (Christelijke Mutualiteit): Belgium's largest Christian health insurance mutual with 4.5M+ members across Flanders and Brussels; simultaneously a close partner in co-developing care holidays and a broader incumbent offering health services, insurance, and member benefits that overlap with Samana's chronic illness focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@samanavzw322
• Facebookfacebook.com/samanavzw
• Instagraminstagram.com/samana.vzw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samana-vzw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Samana vzw