Poverty is a harsh reality in the Netherlands, also in Drenthe. For example in the peat colonies. Poverty is often passed on from generation to generation. You will find the peat colonies not only in Drenthe but also in Groningen. Research by the University of Groningen even shows that 14,000 families live in poverty in this area.
For Expeditie Nederland, reporter Ineke Kemper went to Gasselternijveen. She follows residents Hans van den Burgh and Grietje Pot. Both are far from wide and often have to turn every dime. But since a few years they have been having a little easier. Because various projects have been set up in the peat colonies. One is the opportunity card. A large card with all the regulations that you can use if you live in poverty.
Think of the special assistance, remission of municipal taxes or a participation premium for school -going children. Volunteers are deployed to hand out and pick up the brochures. According to Piet Wolters, that works better than government agencies. Wolters belongs to the organization Power of the Veenkoloniën, an organization that wants to give residents opportunities and strength to get out of poverty.
Thanks to this opportunity card, Mr. Van den Burgh and Mrs. Pot learned more about the schemes and found out that there are jars that they can use. In this episode they tell what they get and what difference that makes. Being able to buy a gift for your birthday child, for example.
You can see it all in this episode of Expeditie Nederland