Updates

The parents of the children attending the pre-school in the premises of the IPSA (International Primary School Almere) can all attest how extraordinary the teachers have been in terms of educating, caring and nurturing our children, but we also understand the financial reasons behind this business decision (less pupils in the waiting list + a high rent), which is why we proposed the current provider, Partou, to consider these alternatives before closing the pre-school:

1. Starting from September, opening the pre-school with 8 kids per 1 teacher (respecting thus the ratio for this specific age group) with a waiting list for additional applications. The 2nd teacher would be reintroduced once the desired number of students was reached. In September we have 8 children; some want to stay for an extended period of time;

2. Parent participation: one parent would be present at the location every day in order to assist the teacher whenever needed;

3. A (more aggressive) marketing campaign: almost nobody knows the pre-school exists. At the Almere Gemeente website, as an example, there is no mention of this pre-school at all. We recommended an open day every quarter, marketed across expat groups and forums, informing everyone about the school and its benefits, in order to boost applications. The first open day could be held in July before the expected end of school. The parents were willing to help advertising not only the pre-school but also the open day;

4. If feasible, opening a BSO at the location in the afternoons to boost profits and somehow compensate for the pre-school lowest months;

Partou believes these suggestions are good, but the rent is still too high. The parents have tried to get a reaction from the Gemeente, but haven't managed to get one yet. We do not ask for subsidies, but the Gemeente has a say in this matter. We are sure that "where there is a will, there is a way".

There are no bilingual pre-schools or centers where English can be taught to children of these ages, so we will keep on looking into all possibilities to keep this facility open.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-LbNlM1XD8.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXLIxMhUioQ.

De petitie is overhandigd aan de Tweede Kamerleden die over sport gaan. Hart van Nederland was erbij vanuit de Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht en de NOS was er online bij.

It seems that the lucrative business of cobalt mining also results in landgrabbing...

Al Jazeera reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, authorities want to pay around 10 thousand families to move away from lucrative cobalt mines to make way for foreign mining companies. However, many people are refusing to leave because they do not trust the government to provide fair compensation..

An update from Amnesty International:

"Thanks to you and our supporters around the world Microsoft are beginning to bow to pressure."

Microsoft released a report in October 2018 setting out the steps they’ve taken to map their cobalt supply chain. While this is progress, Microsoft has a long way to go to meet our concerns and international standards.

The company has yet to tell us exactly how they’re identifying, preventing and addressing potential human rights abuses in their cobalt supply chain.

We’re halting our action for the moment, but we won’t let Microsoft rest until they follow up on their commitments, and there is real evidence of change on the ground in the Democratic Republic of the Congo..

Schouten verbiedt verre export vee..

De nieuwe slavernij in Nederland. Waarom weet niemand dat ? Waarom kan dat doorgaan ? Het zijn enkele die verdienen en vele die uitgebuit worden.

Ik wilde deze petitie al een hele tijd geleden beginnen, maar nu is het zetje gekomen, waar ik zo lang op wachtte. Alweer een woning vergeven aan iemand anders, het is om moedeloos om van te worden.