Press Release

Amsterdam, 21 November 2020

The Global Shapers Amsterdam Hub donates 2,200 masks to Ykeallo Foundation in Osdorp, Amsterdam, in partnership with Hong Kong based Global Citizen Capital. 

The Amsterdam Hub of the Global Shapers Community, a World Economic Forum initiative, has donated 2,200 masks to the Ykeallo Foundation. The masks were in turn donated to the Amsterdam Hub for distribution to local centres in need by Global Citizen Capital and Family Mask, based in Hong Kong. 

The Ykeallo Foundation offers activities, coaching and practical assistance to young North-African refugees in Amsterdam. The donation of 2,200 masks, an assortment of adults, kids and toddlers sizes, comes at a crucial time –, as the local government in the Netherlands has just now established an advice for the use of masks in closed spaces. 

On Wednesday October 28th, Andre Damian and Ana Barretto went on behalf of the Amsterdam Hub to deliver the masks, and were received by Els Streefkerk. There they had the opportunity to explain more about the Global Shapers initiative and the generous donation made possible by Kenneth Kwok and his team. They also shared that after internal discussions and input, the Global Shapers Amsterdam Hub had chosen the Ykeallo Foundation to receive this donation. Later that day, Ykeallo shared on their social media, that they were ‘extremely thankful with this donation’. 

The Reuters news platform announced on July 27 that people from immigrant backgrounds died at a disproportionate rate during the April coronavirus outbreak in the Netherlands. This would include first and second generation Western and non-Western immigrants, due to several causes. According to Reuters “Risk factors for a poor COVID-19 prognosis prevail in some (immigrant) groups,” the study said, citing diabetes, obesity and hypertension among Dutch Asians, Africans and Antilleans. One should also consider problems for groups that don’t speak Dutch well in accessing information and healthcare.”

Carrie van der Kroon, chair of the board of Ykeallo Foundation thanked the initiative with the following statement: 

“We are very grateful for the masks. Keeping a distance and staying safe in shared living spaces is not always feasible, increasing the risks for the young Eritrean newcomers living at the Riekerhaven facility in New West. Due to the COVID-19 situation and increased risks, Ykeallo is at present the only organization still visiting the location and its residents, trying to create awareness and providing the necessary assistance to the newcomers, also/precisely in these unpredictable times. Being able to also hand out practical protection to the newcomers, is a huge help.”

About the Global Shapers Hub Amsterdam:

We are the Amsterdam Hub of the Global Shapers Community, the worldwide community for leaders between 18-30 years old of the World Economic Forum. Our mission is to help each other realize our dreams for a better society. We empower and strengthen initiatives that improve our local and global communities by providing them energy, ideas and access. "Each other" are now Amsterdam Shapers, and we want to extend this to Shapers worldwide and anyone in Amsterdam with a great initiative. Our key focus areas are sustainability, social empowerment and applied science.