Koen Hallaert is director of the Special Primary Education Wonderwijs Bruges, type Basic Offer, where he and his Wonderwijs team support students who need extra care on a daily basis. The Christmas mission fits in perfectly with his belief that every child has the right to warmth, opportunities and attention.
Koen left on a mission with more than 25 kilograms of candy, learning materials and toys. Additional supplies were purchased locally from local traders, to support the local economy and reach more children.
The arrival of Santa Claus is an annual tradition in Hurghada, which many families and children eagerly await. As always, Santa Claus did not go alone: cheerful elves traveled along and helped organize, distribute and animate.
As a teacher and director, an important part of the mission is to visit some schools in and around Hurghada that suffer from a shortage of resources. Thanks to the support of the Hallaert family, these schools receive extra financial help with which they can pay for didactic materials and school supplies.
For many students and teachers, this extra is a much-needed improvement to their learning environment. Some major differences with our schools in Flanders are the very limited resources and the number of students per class. 50 children in one small classroom are no exception. The gratitude of students, team and management was enormous.