Stichting Bootvluchteling | Boat Refugee Foundation

What Stichting Bootvluchteling | Boat Refugee Foundation does

Stichting Bootvluchteling (Boat Refugee Foundation) is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (stichting) founded in 2015 and headquartered in Ede, Netherlands, that delivers direct medical and psychosocial humanitarian aid to refugees and asylum seekers stranded at the edges of Europe, primarily in Greece. Its core operations center on a mobile medical clinic operating inside the Mavrovouni (RIC Mavrovouni) refugee camp on Lesbos, staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses, psychologists, and interpreters who treat 60-80 patients per day, with a second Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) mission established in Athens for people who have completed the Greek island asylum procedure. The organization is governed by a Board of Supervisors (Raad van Toezicht) and led by Director Esther Vonk, who succeeded founder Annerieke Berg in 2023; supporting roles include a Safeguarding and Compliance Officer (Fabienne Wijnen) and Area Manager on Lesbos (Christos).

The foundation's product surface is built around three pillars: medical care (mobile clinic, primary healthcare, first aid training for camp residents), psychosocial support (individual consultations, wellbeing groups, information rounds, referrals), and advocacy (monitoring and reporting on human rights violations, lobbying for policy change). It also runs a capacity-building training program sharing MHPSS expertise with other humanitarian organizations. Underlying technology is utilitarian rather than differentiated: the website is built on WordPress with a Mollie payment processor, Enormail for newsletter distribution, Vimeo for video, Cloudflare for delivery, and Google Analytics. Operations are certified to ISO 9001:2015 (Lesbos) and adhere to the Core Humanitarian Standard, RJ650 financial reporting, ANBI status, and the CBF Erkenningsregeling quality mark, with the organization also registered in the EU Transparency Register.

Stichting Bootvluchteling is funded entirely through private donations (no government subsidies), drawing on individual givers (one-time and periodic), Dutch church networks, corporate partners, and foundation grants (including support channeled via the Aegean NGO Network, backed by Oxfam Novib). Revenue is processed online via the foundation's own donation portal and is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct and field-based: services are delivered inside authorized camp settings on Lesbos and in Athens, coordinated with peer NGOs (Medical Volunteers International, Crisis Management Association, UNHCR, MSF, Doctors of the World, IRC, Red Cross) to avoid duplication of coverage. Marketing and fundraising rely on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X), a monthly newsletter, the website, and recurring community events such as the Amsterdam Marathon 2026 and Loop voor Lesbos.

Name

Stichting Bootvluchteling | Boat Refugee Foundation

Legal name

Stichting Bootvluchteling

Website

https://bootvluchteling.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting Bootvluchteling is a Dutch nonprofit foundation founded in 2015 that delivers medical and psychosocial support to refugees in Greek camps, running a mobile clinic in Mavrovouni (Lesbos) treating 60-80 patients daily and an MHPSS program in Athens, funded entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee/Migrant Health & Resettlement Health Units (HLAJAAAJ), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee Reception & Registration (BPADAHAA)

Keywords

• Humanitarian medical aid
• Refugee health services
• Psychosocial support programs
• Mobile clinic operations
• Humanitarian advocacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ede

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization is primarily financed by gifts from individual donors. Both one-time and periodic (monthly/annual) donation options are available via the website, processed through Mollie payment processor.
2. Church Partnerships: Churches in the Netherlands support the organization through donations. The organization occasionally uses an external party to send mailings to their address list of churches (maximum 3 times per year).
3. Foundation and Fund Grants: The organization receives funding from foundations and funds. Laguna Collective provides training support. Oxfam Novib supports the Aegean NGO Network of which Stichting Bootvluchteling is a member.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Businesses can support the organization as corporate partners, providing another revenue stream.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Stichting Bootvluchteling (Boat Refugee Foundation) operates a mobile medical clinic and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs inside and around Greek refugee camps, primarily on Lesbos and in Athens, providing primary healthcare, trauma support, and individual consultations to refugees and asylum seekers. The organization complements direct service delivery with advocacy, monitoring and reporting on human rights violations at European borders, and capacity-building training for other humanitarian organizations.

Product overview

Stichting Bootvluchteling (Boat Refugee Foundation) operates as a humanitarian aid organization providing medical and psychosocial support to refugees at European borders, primarily in Greece. The core offering consists of a mobile medical clinic providing primary healthcare services, complemented by Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) programs including individual consultations, Wellbeing Groups, and peer-support activities. The organization also conducts advocacy work to document human rights violations and lobby for policy change. Supporting services include first aid training for camp residents, capacity-building MHPSS training for other humanitarian organizations, and donor/volunteer engagement programs. Operations are primarily focused on Lesbos and Athens, Greece, with additional humanitarian response capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Clinic (Medische Kliniek) Mobile medical clinic providing primary healthcare services to refugees in Greek camps, staffed by volunteer doctors, nurses, and psychologists who treat 60-80 patients daily.
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Psychological support and mental health services including individual consultations, wellbeing activities, wellbeing groups, information rounds, first aid training, and referrals to specialized care for trauma-affected refugees.
• Advocacy (Belangenbehartiging) Monitoring and reporting on human rights violations at European borders, lobbying for policy change, and raising public awareness about refugee conditions through media, news articles, and coalition advocacy.
• MHPSS Training for Humanitarian Organizations Capacity-building training programs sharing the organization's MHPSS and wellbeing expertise with other humanitarian organizations, including 'Introduction to wellbeing & MHPSS' courses.
• First Aid Training (EHBO-training) Emergency first aid training program teaching camp residents life-saving skills and basic medical response.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60-80 patients treated per day at the clinic on Lesbos
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting Bootvluchteling maintains ongoing consultation with UNHCR to coordinate humanitarian operations on Lesbos. UNHCR supports the organization's training programs for staff, such as the MHPSS training developed with UNHCR backing.
• Artsen zonder Grenzen (Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization maintains ongoing consultation with Doctors Without Borders to coordinate care and avoid duplication of services on Lesbos and in Greece.
• Dokters van de Wereld (Médecins du Monde / Doctors of the World)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular coordination with Doctors of the World to share information, avoid duplication, and collaborate where possible in humanitarian operations.
• IRC (International Rescue Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing consultation and coordination with the IRC to stay informed of each other's plans and collaborate where possible.
• Rode Kruis (Red Cross)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular coordination with the Red Cross to stay informed of each other's plans, avoid duplication, and collaborate where possible.
• Oxfam NovibcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOxfam Novib supports the Aegean NGO Network, a coalition of 11 independent organizations active on the Greek islands, of which Stichting Bootvluchteling is a member. The network collectively advocates against criminalization of humanitarian aid.
• Laguna CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaguna Collective provides training to Stichting Bootvluchteling's volunteers on various themes related to mental well-being and providing psychological (first) aid. The collective serves as a platform for developing and implementing new ideas, offering training, supervision, and advisory services.
• CMA (Crisis Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMA focuses on chronically ill patients in camp Mavrovouni on Lesbos. Stichting Bootvluchteling and CMA collaborate to ensure comprehensive care coverage, with organizations assisting each other during peak periods. Weekly volunteer exchanges occur between the organizations.
• MVI (Medical Volunteers International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMVI provides daytime and weekday medical care in camp Mavrovouni. Stichting Bootvluchteling covers evenings and weekends. During Christmas, MVI volunteers assisted BRF, demonstrating the complementary nature of their collaboration.
• A21minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA21, an international organization dedicated to awareness and education around human trafficking, provided training to the Stichting Bootvluchteling medical team in Krakow on recognizing and assisting survivors of trafficking and sexual violence.
• AmurtelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting Bootvluchteling delivered its 'Introduction to wellbeing & MHPSS' training to the team of Amurtel, contributing to capacity building of partner organizations in Greece.
• Hospitainer FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospitainer Foundation supports the medical clinic on Lesbos and conducted a site visit to Stichting Bootvluchteling's program, producing a report that documented the organization's work and impact.
• Rode Kruis (Red Cross) - KrakowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt the request of the Red Cross, Stichting Bootvluchteling set up a medical post at the train station in Krakow, Poland to assist Ukrainian refugees. The Red Cross coordinated the overall refugee response.
• Wolno NamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStichting Bootvluchteling expanded its medical aid to the shelter of Polish organization Wolno Nam (meaning 'we are free') in Krakow, where approximately 150 vulnerable people stay longer than the usual 48 hours.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bootvlucht
• Facebookfacebook.com/stichtingbootvluchteling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichtingbootvluchteling
• Instagraminstagram.com/stichtingbootvluchteling

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Stichting Bootvluchteling | Boat Refugee Foundation