To the Youth Fund Sports & Culture Amsterdam page

Amsterdam | April 24, 2024

Hanife Sak: school principal and intermediary!

To meet one of our top intermediaries, Hanife Sak, we visited KC De Leertuin primary school in Schinkelhaven. A beautifully renovated school, surrounded by a spacious garden and All kinds of play equipment. Inside, the school exudes an open, warm atmosphere thanks to the extensive use of wood. As director, Hanife helped design the new building: "The look and feel had to match the educational philosophy." Here too, the posters of the Youth Fund Sport & Culture Amsterdam are clearly visible.

Getting to know the fund

Hanife explains that in 2017, she had a student who really wanted to play soccer but couldn't because the family couldn't afford it: "I figured there must be a way to find funding for something like that. That's how I found the then-Youth Sports Fund." She submitted an application with a lengthy explanation of why this particular child should be considered. She was immediately approved; she was very proud and convinced it was because of her inspiring story. Now she knows better, Hanife says, laughing: "The fund is simply there for every child from families who can't afford it. It became a challenge for me: to register as many children as possible with the fund."

Hanife's successful method of applying to the Youth Fund

As director, Hanife believes it's important to get to know all parents and children personally. She conducts the intake with each new child and their parent(s). Hanife explains: "During the intake interview, I tell them about the Youth Fund and how important it is for children to participate in sports or cultural activities." She notices that parents are often very grateful that their child can participate: "Most parents can't apply themselves through the parental route because they don't understand the language, aren't digitally literate, or are afraid to fill out a form." Together with fellow intermediary Linda, Hanife handles all the applications. Currently, eighty children from this school participate in sports, swimming, dancing, or playing a musical instrument through the fund.

A choir and a violin orchestra

There are now 130 students, 85 to 90 of whom have Dutch as a second language in the % program. Hanife: "It's incredible how quickly the children in the newcomers' class are picking up the language, thanks in part to Mr. William and Ms. Naima.". She also talks about Master Fa: a "fantastic" colleague who always dedicated himself immensely to helping newcomers. "Master Fa always wanted to start a choir at the school. He passed away in a terrible accident. In his memory, the choir doremiFA was founded, and many children at the school are now enthusiastic members," says Hanife.

Besides a choir, there's now also a violin orchestra. "There was one child who really wanted violin lessons. I asked the Rondom De Klas Foundation if they had a violin teacher available. It's now grown to 25 students who play violin at various levels at school and together form the violin orchestra." Hanife adds that drum lessons are also given to fifteen students at the school.

Education is more than just lessons in the classroom

Hanife explains that she wants to bring the outside world in. There's so much happening at De Binnentuin, and that's certainly not something to be taken for granted. For example, Combiwel organizes a daily activity for each group as part of Broad Talent Development. Twice a week, everyone receives a hot lunch from Foodylunch, paid for by the Youth Education Fund. There's also swimming lessons for the fifth-grade students and for all newcomers. Finally, there's a partnership with the Buddy Project, where twenty volunteers dedicate themselves to the students in various ways. For example, Jan has been a buddy for a Brazilian family with two daughters for four years, helping them with reading and other school subjects. Two weeks a year, this family gets to spend their vacation at Jan's brother's house on the Vinkeveense Plassen lakes. "And there are many more wonderful stories about the relationships that have developed from all these diverse collaborations," Hanife says proudly.

Children can't help it if their parents don't have money

Equal opportunities is the motto here at school

Hanife started as an intern at KC De Leertuin, then progressed to teacher and care coordinator, and now, after completing additional studies, she is the principal. Together with her team, she ensures a safe environment and as many opportunities as possible for all children, because children are helpless when their parents don't have money. Hanife says: "I want to work where I can make a difference, together with the teachers. Our team is fantastic, wonderful, flexible colleagues. They are passionate about our students. They're even willing to work on their days off, which means we've never had to send a class home."

Finally, the children

At the end of the interview, we met a cheerful, enthusiastic group of children, almost all of whom play sports, sing, dance, or make music through the Youth Fund. Frederic plays soccer and is on the school's children's council. Vittoria plays volleyball, and Ferdos plays soccer. Esther is also a member of the children's council and plays violin and ballet. Yasmin from the fourth grade also plays violin.

Ester, Bruna, Giovanna, Vittoria, Kalani, Ferdos, Frédéric, Yasmin together with Carla (Youth Fund)