Jennette Mooibroek of the Non-Congenital Brain Injury Patient Association (NAH) has won the Lies van Urk Emancipation Prize.
This happened during the celebration of International Women’s Day in the Atlas Theater last Friday. The prize consists of a trophy and one thousand euros.
Jennette, who has NAH herself, is committed to helping people with acquired brain damage in many ways. By organizing peer contact and self-management weekends, she offers fellow sufferers a listening ear, practical tips and the opportunity to exchange experiences.
Non-congenital brain damage occurs after, for example, a cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, tumor or accident. Jennette: “You don’t always see brain injury, but it is there. Some people cannot talk about the brain injury within their own family. I think that is very bad and I want to reach out to those people.”
Emmen residents were able to nominate candidates from which the jury selected three organizations. You could then vote for these three nominees.
The other nominees were the Sexual Assault Awareness project Emmen, set up by Danique, Isabelle, Sarah and Megan from Carmel college. The project makes sexual misconduct among young people a subject of discussion and offers recognition and recognition.
Volunteer Bart Lanting from Petje Afwas was also nominated. At this foundation, volunteers are committed to helping children aged ten to fourteen gain new experiences and bring them into contact with professions and role models that they do not have at home.
The jury included daughters Annebeth and Eva van Lies van Urk, councilor Vianna Spang and the winner of 2023 Maartje van Wagensveld. The prize was presented by Guido Rink, councilor for emancipation.
In his speech, Alderman Rink emphasized the importance of the Lies van Urk Prize and International Women’s Day: “In terms of equality between women and men, the Netherlands only ranks 28th worldwide. For example, a woman still earns on average 13% less salary than a woman man in the same position. That can really be improved.”
Lies van Urk was the first female councilor in the municipality of Emmen. She was a great advocate for emancipation in her work and in her personal capacity. She died suddenly in 1990 during a town hall meeting. The Lies van Urk Prize was established in her memory.